Overexposed
by Love Ink
Summary: Sequel to "Hands All Over". Juice and Angela finally got their happily ever away from SAMCRO, but Charming has a way of pulling people back in... (Juice/OC, Happy/OC) Summary sucks, the story is better, I promise!
1. Happily Ever After

**I'M BACK! :D**

 **Thank you so much to everyone who stuck with me through ' _Hands All Over'_! You guys are amazing, and I so appreciate all the love and support you've given me over the years! :) **

**So here begins the sequel. It picks up almost two years after ' _Hands All Over'_ ended, and if you haven't read that story...this one won't make any sense. But its worth it! I swear! **

**Its my first time really stepping outside of the SOA canon, and while I have a lot of ideas, I'm always open for feedback and ideas! :)**

 **HUGE HUGE thanks to KupKakes09 for her help with this chapter and her constant support! She has an amazing Juice/OC fic that you should definitely check out! **

Also, the name of this story, like the name of the other two that went before it is taken from a Maroon 5 album. Its a fantastic album, and its title fits well with this story too. ;)

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela and Evie.** **The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

 **Here goes nothing...**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 1: Happily Ever After_

 _By Love Ink_

"Daddy!" the loud whisper coupled with the tiny hand smacking his cheek had Juice's eyes flying open only to find his daughter's face just inches from his. The almost three year old girl had gotten a toddler bed a few months before and had been taking advantage of the fact she could easily get out of it to slip into bed with her parents whenever she could.

Angela slyly rolled off of him, turning away in a manner that meant it was his turn to deal with Evie, something he'd yet to do successfully. Angela could get her back into her own bed with a few quick words and some tough love, but he just couldn't say no. The only time he'd carried her back to bed was after he'd gotten a swift kick to the balls from her squirming around. Even then, he'd ended up sleeping on her floor next to Rigor to protect her from monsters. This time was different, though. This time, he was determined to make her go back to her own bed all on his own.

"What's up, Eves? Why you outta bed?" he asked, his hand raking over her soft hair. Rigor, her bodyguard, was lying next to her, already half asleep as if he knew Juice wouldn't be able to kick her out.

"Bad dweam," she said, rubbing tiredly at her eyes. Her hair was sticking up on all sides of her head, and she was holding her favorite bull dog stuffed animal by its arm. "Need daddy love."

And there went his resolve. How could he deny his daughter love? It just didn't feel right. "Okay, Monk," he breathed, sitting up and grabbing her under the arms to lift her into their bed. "Up you go."

Her dark eyes lit up as she grinned at him, settling comfortably between him and her mother. Her little hand instantly went to Angela's shoulder, tapping lightly. "Mama," she whispered in Angela's ear. "Want love."

Angela gamely rolled over to face her, lifting her arm to allow her to snuggle in closer, the two of them sharing one pillow. Juice shook his head, sighing when Rigor jumped up on the bed and settled between them too. "So much for Daddy love," he grumbled, feeling just a little lonely on the other side of the bed.

"Push over," Angela murmured before she began humming softly to Evie.

Juice moved in closer, reaching over Evie to find his wife in the dark. His heart ached with love for both of his girls. Despite being safe in Texas for two years now, he still couldn't believe his incredible luck. He'd gotten out of Charming safe and sound. He was living the life he'd always wanted. "She out?"

"Like a light," she replied before letting out a long sigh. "You gotta stop lettin' her do this, baby."

Juice frowned a bit. "She wanted Daddy love. How do I say no to that?"

Angela smirked, tucking Evie's hair behind her ear. They both knew that once Evie was asleep, she'd stay asleep; a trait she'd inherited from her daddy. "A little tough love, some snuggles in _her_ bed, and she's fine. Plus, think of all the morning Mama love you could be getting if we woke up without this little monkey in our bed."

He raised an eyebrow at her suggestive comment, an idea popping into his head. "What are the odds she stays asleep if I carry her back to bed?"

"Pretty damn good. She sleeps like her daddy." She ran a finger down the slope of Evie's nose, smiling a bit when she snuggled in closer. " 'course you can also just leave her here. Get away with it while we still can."

Juice smirked, reaching around Evie to set his hand on Angela's stomach. "Yeah, she'll have to deal with a little brother or sister soon."

"Yeah," she agreed around a laugh. He could feel her tense a bit and felt a hint of his own sadness. They'd been birth control free since they'd started their life together in Texas. They were ready for another baby, finally in a safe place to have one, yet it still wasn't happening. He knew Angela was worried something was wrong with her.

"It'll happen, baby. I got a magic penis, remember?" he teased. Angela laughed softly, her hand searching blindly for him in the dark. He smiled when he felt her fingers brush against his cheek. Turning his head, he kissed her palm. "I love you, Angel. So much."

"Love you too, goof."

A happy sigh escaped her lips, warming him to the very core. The move to Texas hadn't been easy on her. She had applied to every funeral home within driving distance and not a single one was hiring. They all either had a full staff or were too low on funds to hire another employee. With his salary and the money she got from owning half of Dubrowski's back in Charming, she really didn't have to work, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

Angela wanted to work, _needed_ to work. Staying at home all day had driven her crazy especially since they'd been taking Evie to the day care at his work so she could spend time with kids her own age. Thankfully, Dino's personal assistant quit, so he'd offered her the job. She'd gladly accepted it, but as much as he loved having her only a few desks away every day, he knew she missed the work she used to do at the funeral home. Knew it drove her a little stir crazy to be sitting at a desk all day managing Dino's schedule.

"Angel?"

"Hmm?" she hummed sleepily.

"You're happy here, right?" It was a question he asked her almost every night, and he could practically see her rolling her eyes at him in the dark room.

"Yes, baby."

A long time ago, they'd been at one of Gemma's big family gatherings and Kozik had asked her if she was happy. Juice could still picture the look in her eyes when she'd looked over at him and answered, 'the happiest'. It was one of his favorite memories, one that made him realize just how much she loved him. "The happiest?"

"I've got you, don't I?" she shot back before yawning. "Go to sleep, goofy."

"I love you, Angela Ortiz," he told her just because he knew he was driving her crazy.

"Go to sleep, Juan Carlos, or it's _you_ that's going to be kicked out of bed."

He smiled to himself as he scooted closer to his two girls. Angela always gave him shit for saying they lived 'happily ever after', but he couldn't think of a better way to describe the life they were living now. He had everything he'd ever wanted and more. It may not be the typical happily ever after written about in story books, but it was certainly _his_ happily ever after.

* * *

Angela woke up to the feel of little hands patting lovingly against her cheeks. It wasn't a surprise. Even when Evie slept in her own bed, she always snuck in to wake them up for breakfast on the weekends. It was the reason they always made sure to fall asleep fully clothed lest she catch them naked in bed. Angela opened one eye to find Evie looming above her, her dark hair hanging forward, tickling her cheeks. "Mama, Riggy needs ta bafroom."

She looked over at the dog and smirked when she found him still asleep on her leg. "Oh does he?" she asked the little girl.

Evie nodded, a very serious look on her face. "Yeah. And 'm hungry. Want waffles."

"Aha! Knew there was a reason, you little stinker," she teased, poking her little nose with a finger and grinning when she wrinkled it, Juice's smile spreading across her little face. "C'mon, Evie-doll. Let's get some grub."

"Yay!" She clapped her hands excitedly as she got off her mother. "I wake Daddy?"

Angela shook her head, grunting as she picked Evie up and put her on her hip. "Not yet, baby doll. Let's let him sleep a bit, yeah?"

Evie nodded, playing with her mom's hair while they headed to the kitchen, Rigor at Angela's heels. "Mama, your hair is pretty."

"Thank you, baby," she replied, opening the door to let Rigor out. She put Evie on her feet, running her hand through Evie's soft hair. It was getting longer by the day, just a little passed her shoulders now and curled naturally at the ends. "Your hair is pretty too. But you know what? We gotta cook."

"Hair tie!" Evie exclaimed, running toward the bathroom while Angela washed her hands. She came back with two hair ties in her hands. "Messy bun!"

Angela laughed, gathering Evie's hair and putting it in the style she'd requested before doing the same to her own hair. "Go get your stool, Monk."

Evie scrambled for the little stool she used when helping her Mom cook, stretching her arms up once she was on top and letting Angela tie her little apron on. "Hands!"

"Go ahead. I'm going to get the waffle iron out," she urged, watching from the corner of her eye as Evie soaped up her hands and rubbed them together like a surgeon getting ready for surgery. She was so much like her Dad sometimes it was scary. "Rinse, baby girl. I'm pretty sure you killed all the germs on those tiny hands."

Evie giggled and moved her stool towards the big mixing bowl. She climbed on top and grinned up at her mother. "Ready, Mama."

Angela leaned over to kiss her cheek before she began to put the ingredients out. This was a normal Saturday morning for the little Ortiz family. Whether she managed to get into their bed or not, Evie would wake her up early, and they'd make breakfast together. It was moments like these, Sinatra playing softly on the stereo—per Evie's request—while they cooked in the sunlit kitchen, that Angela felt like all was right with the world. She glanced out the window, watching Rigor run around the gated pool, his tongue lolling out happily. As soon as Juice or Kenny woke up, they'd go out and toss the ball around with him. It was perfect. A far cry from their chaotic life in Charming…and yet…

She shook her head slowly, doing her best not to let her mind go down that path. She loved her life in Texas, but she missed her job and the family she'd left behind in Charming. Missed working with her hands and putting the degree she'd worked so hard for to use. She was thankful Dino found a way to get her a job, but she hated being chained to the desk; his personal babysitter. Not that Dino was a baby. To the contrary, he was pretty easy to handle. _Too_ easy, which meant she was sitting at her desk, bored, ninety-five percent of the time, her boredom only eased by Juice's quick visits between his own tasks.

She wasn't unhappy, just unsatisfied. She missed the days when she'd spend all day outside maintaining the cemetery, doing a hard facial reconstruction, teaching Bones, helping families, and feeling generally useful. She didn't feel that now, and it was starting to make her feel restless.

Her love for Juice, for their little family was what got her through each day. She was happy just to be home with them, to know they were all safe. In time, she'd find some kind of funeral home job, she was sure of it. She just had to be patient and wait for it.

Her phone went off, the Star Wars Cantina Song filling the air making Evie giggle. "Mama, phone!"

Angela looked down at her flour covered hands and sighed. "Can you grab that for me, baby girl? Its your Aunt Chloe."

"Coco!" Evie screamed, running to get her Mom's phone. She picked it up and expertly slid her fingers across the screen. "Hi Coco!" she shouted as she answered, making her mother wince; she knew that had to hurt her friend's ears. Evie listened intently, her brows drawn together in the same way her father's did when he was concentrating. "Okay, I give phone to Mama. Mama, PHONE!"

She chuckled, drying off her hands before reaching out for the phone. " _Gracias, preciosa_ ," she said, playing with her hair. "Go wake up Daddy. Tell him you need help finishing breakfast." ( _Thank you, precious)_

Evie grinned back up at her. "Okay, Mama! I go get Daddy!"

Angela watched as she ran away, laughing to herself. "Hey Chlo! What's up?" she greeted, tucking the phone in the crook of her neck as she unplugged the waffle maker. The mix was already prepared, and Juice was more than capable of taking over once he was down there.

"Ang, you need to come home," Chloe said, her voice rougher than usual. "Elena's sick."

She moved outside, leaning against the porch railing. "Yeah, I know. She's been sick for a long time. She'll get better," she said, brushing it off like it was no big deal. "She always does. I talked to her last week, and she was fine."

"She relapsed this weekend. Badly. Ang, she's in the hospital. She's been having breathing complications and her emphysema is not helping. You need to come down here now if you want to see her again before…"

Angela ran a hand through her hair, grimacing slightly. "Shit," she muttered, a sinking feeling in her gut. She'd known this day was coming, that Elena was living on borrowed time as it was, but she never considered going back to Charming to say goodbye. She and Elena had already decided she'd stay in Texas. That they'd say goodbye over the phone since neither of them were good with teary goodbyes anyway. "Chlo, we can't go back to Charming."

"This is Elena, Ang. You're gonna let her go without sayin' goodbye?"

She sighed, turning to look through the glass doors behind her. Inside, she could see Juice holding Evie against his hip, grinning at her as she talked to him. Her heart ached at the idea of taking her family back to Charming; it would break Juice. There was no way. "Chlo, I…"

"Don't give me an excuse. You should be here. It would…it'd mean everything to Lena to see you and Eves one last time."

Angela twisted nervously at her rings, her phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. "We can't."

"Hap needs you, Ang. Don't let him go through this alone."

She took in a deep breath, hating how desperate Chloe sounded. It scared the shit out of her. Chloe was supposed to be on top of this shit; _she_ was supposed to be the one helping Happy. It'd been the only reason Angela didn't feel so guilty leaving him behind in Charming. "That's what he has you for."

"He's been pushing me away lately. Trying to figure out how to handle it all. The man can do unspeakable things, but this…he has no control over it, and he doesn't know what to do. He needs you, Ang. Needs someone who knows exactly what he's going through."

"Goddamn," she murmured, closing her eyes tightly. She had already made her peace with the idea that Elena would pass while she was in Texas. It was the reason they had regular phone calls and video chats just in case. Hearing that Hap needed her made it harder for her to justify staying away. Hap had helped her through everything, had even saved her husband from certain death just for her. She couldn't just leave him alone if he needed her. It was her turn to step up for him now. "Lemme talk to Juice. Figure shit out."

"Don't take too long in coming over here. Shit is unraveling fast."

Angela clenched her jaw, hating the feeling of being pulled in two directions. She didn't want to go to Charming. It was a door she'd closed long ago. Hell, she hadn't even gone back for Ellie's graduation two years before, settling on watching it through Boner's phone recording. Ellie had insisted she didn't want her to go and had asked if she and Bones could come visit Texas instead. They'd had an absolute blast. Ellie claimed it was much better than watching her suffer while being in Charming. Plus, she'd mentioned how all of SAMCRO had been at the ceremony despite her begging Lyla not to tell them. Angela was thankful the young girl had been so understanding; she was already dreading seeing any member of SAMCRO other than Hap, Tig, and Quinn.

This year had been Kenny's graduation, and Ellie and Bones had come down to celebrate. Now they had gone with Kenny and his girlfriend, Jasmine, on a senior trip out to Florida for a Disney World trip. Them being gone made the idea of going back to Charming that much worse. "Yeah, I got it. Ken's out on his grad trip, though. Probably be just me heading over there."

"Well, it'll be nice to see you."

"Yeah. Same. I gotta go, Chlo. See if I can take some time off and get an late flight out tomorrow night," she stated, waving weakly to Juice when he caught her eye through the window. "See you soon."

Chloe sighed softly. "Take care of yourself, Ang. See you later."

Angela hung up the phone, squeezing it tightly in her hand for a moment as she strategized how best to break it to Juice. He opened the sliding door, sticking his head out. "You all right, Angel?" he asked, a worried look on his face.

She unhitched herself from the deck railing and sighed. "That was Chloe," she explained, heading towards him. She scratched at her eyebrow, shifting uneasily. "She uh…called to tell me Lena's not doing too well."

Juice's face fell, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed hard. "Jesus Christ, baby. Are you okay?"

"I think so," she rasped, feeling a little overwhelmed. She let out a long breath meeting his gaze at a total loss for words. "I um…we knew this was going to happen. This isn't…she's old, and she's been sick for so long and I just…we're lucky she'd been alive this long. Right?"

He nodded, looking over his shoulder to make sure Evie was entertained before stepping out onto the deck. "Yeah. Seemed fine the last time we talked to her."

"Right?" she asked on a small laugh. She shook her head, her mind buzzing. Was she really going to leave the safety of their perfect little life and jump right back into the chaos of Charming? "This is…this is crazy. I'm not gonna go. I don't need to…"

"Go where?" His words stopped her train of thought. She'd forgotten she hadn't said anything to him about it yet. By the way his eyes were slowly becoming the size of saucers, she knew he guessed what she was thinking. "No. We can't…you _want_ to go back to Charming?"

She ran a shaking hand through her hair. "N-no. I don't _want_ to go back there. I don't…Chlo thinks I should say goodbye."

"But you said…you said you didn't need to. That…that you didn't want to be there when she…"

Frustration started wearing on Angela's nerves. Juice was right, of course; she'd told him she didn't want to go back to California for any reason. That she was okay saying goodbye to her aunt over video chat when it came down to it. Hell, even Elena had told her not to go down. What she hadn't counted on was Happy. If Chloe hadn't said he needed her, she'd be fine staying in Texas in their perfect little house with their perfect little life. But Happy did need her, and she'd be damned if she didn't show up for him. "I know, but Hap…Chlo says he's not…coping and he…"

"Needs you," Juice finished knowingly. He took a deep breath, straightening himself up and squaring his shoulders in a show of strength. "So we go."

She blinked at him for a second, processing what he'd just suggested. No way in hell were _they_ going anywhere. _She_ was going back to Charming, _not_ him. Never him. Juice going back to Charming meant Chibs finding out he was alive which could lead to them carrying out what they'd failed to do before. She wasn't willing to take that risk. Not when they'd finally gotten their happily ever after. "No, _we_ don't."

"But you just said-"

"I said _I'd_ go. Not you," she clarified, shaking her head. " _You're_ not going anywhere near Charming. Just me. You stay with Eves and Rigs. I'll go and take care of this on my own."

Juice shook his head. "No, absolutely not. 'm not gonna let you do this alone!"

She gritted her teeth at his choice of words. "You don't have to _let_ me do anything! If I want to go, I'll go!"

"Shit, Angel. You know I didn't mean it like that," he backtracked quickly. "I just…don't want you going back there. Not without me."

"You can't come with me, Juice. It's not safe, its not..."

"No! I'll be fine!"

"You're dead there, Juice!" she shouted in exasperation. Her breath was coming a little too fast now as she went into panic mode. Her mind was reeling at the idea of Juice going back to Charming. Of him jumping right back into the place that had all but killed him. He was never ever supposed to go back there. "Don't you get that? You can _not_ go back!"

Juice stared at her in shock, surprised by her outburst. "Angel, please. I'm not scared of them anymore," he begged softly. "Please, let me go. You're going to need me there when Lena...when she…"

"No! I don't want you there!" she spat in anger. The hurt that crossed his face cut her to the core. He shook his head in disappointment turning his back on her. "Wait! Juice!"

He turned around slowly, his shoulders tensed. "Save it, Ang. I want to be there. I'm willing to risk _everything_ to go back there for _you_ and you…you don't _want_ me there? I'm your husband. I'm supposed to support you. You helped me through everythin' 'n' you won't let me return the favor. And I…I can't wrap my head around why. You really think I'm that weak?"

"You don't understand…"

"I think I kinda do," he said on a sad laugh. "And it really fuckin' sucks."

"Juice, please, just…"

"I gotta…go clear my head. Take Evie to the park or something," he muttered, turning around again and walking away.

This time she let him go, feeling her heart sink to the bottom of her chest. She felt like she was being pulled under water, fighting her best to stay afloat, to survive, but it was all starting to be too much. Pressing her hand to her heart, she struggled to catch her breath. Hot tears of frustration pricked at her eyes as she sunk down in the Adirondeck chair, pulling her knees up to her chest. She hated being in this situation, hated fighting with Juice, hated the idea of going back to Charming. Though she'd said she'd visit, she'd honestly never planned to go back there ever again. Wiping at her eyes, she looked up at the sky, letting out a shaky breath as she prayed like hell that her dad or her uncle or Kozik or anyone of her guardian angels heard her and helped her because she desperately needed them right now.

* * *

Juice pushed Evie on the swing set, watching her go higher and higher and letting her laughter ease the pain he was currently feeling. He still couldn't believe she'd told him she didn't want him there. After all they'd been through, he'd never thought she'd push him away like that. Never thought she'd reject his help as if she didn't need him.

But he knew better. He knew she needed him, knew her going to Charming by herself was a bad idea. She was putting on a strong front now when she was miles away, but once she was in front of her sick Aunt, once she was face to face with idea of letting her go, she wasn't going to be that strong. She was going to need him there to keep her sane. To help her strengthen herself so she could be strong for Happy.

She wasn't supposed to go back to Charming. Neither of them were. They were done with that town and everything they'd left behind there. He was dead there and everyone he used to love there was dead to him.

But her whole family was there. Her whole family and the job that she loved, the life that she'd loved, were all back there. What if she went back and realized how much she wanted to stay? Realized she'd made a mistake when she'd up and moved her whole life to Texas? He couldn't lose her. Couldn't fathom what it would be like to live without her. Already the idea of her leaving for an indiscriminate amount of time was giving him heart palpitations. He didn't want to be away from her. He didn't want to be alone again.

"Too high, Daddy! Too high!" Evie's exclamation, pulled him from his thoughts, and he realized he'd let all of his frustration out on the swing set. Evie wasn't a daredevil like her mother; she was more cautious like him.

He carefully put his hand on the back of the swing, slowing her down considerably. "Sorry, Monk. Want to get out?"

"Yeah! Shop now?"

Juice nodded, picking her up and holding her close. He was determined to stay away from his house, from Angela as long as her could just so he could gather his thoughts before diving back into it. He took Evie on every errand he could think of, driving her around to all of their favorite spots and succeeding in totally wearing her out. By the time he finally headed back home, Evie was sound asleep in her car seat.

The front porch light was on when he pulled into their driveway as was the light in their bedroom. He finally had his thoughts put together, his head on straight, but he still wasn't ready to talk to her. Didn't even know where to begin.

Carefully, he lifted Evie out of her car seat, making sure not to wake her. She clung to him, her face snuggled into his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs. His bedroom door was closed which meant she wasn't really ready to talk to him either. They were both more frustrated than angry with each other; both unsure of how to deal with the situation they were in.

He gently shook Evie awake as he sat down on her bed, reaching for her Little Mermaid PJs. "C'mon, Monk. PJ time."

She groggily helped him change her into her pajamas, rubbing at her eyes as he took out her bun. " _Beso,_ Daddy?" she asked around a yawn.

Juice kissed her cheek, running a hand over her wild hair to smooth it some. "Goodnight, Monk. Love you, baby girl."

"Love you too, Daddy," she murmured, grabbing her little bulldog. " _Beso_ , Mama?"

Of course, she needed to have a goodnight kiss from her Mom before she went to sleep. It was pretty standard for them. Evie wouldn't go to sleep without saying goodnight to both of them. "Sure, baby. I'll go get your Mama. Get cozy, okay?"

She nodded snuggling deep into her covers before giving him an expectant look. He smirked, chuckling a bit as he headed down the hall to his bedroom. The door was open now, the glow from the lamp inside warm and inviting. The open suitcase on their bed was a little less inviting. In fact, it was downright irritating; she'd clearly made her decision without consulting him about it. Angela was standing by their bureau, a picture frame in her hands. He knew without asking which photo was in the frame. It was a strip of photos from the photo booth at Fun Town taken on one of their rare dates at the beginning of the relationship. It was the cleaner one of two they'd taken. The other, naughtier set was behind it, only accessible if you opened the frame. It was the only picture of him with his mohawk that wasn't packed away in storage. It was packed away in her underwear drawer instead to serve a reminder of their beginnings, of their happier days.

He tapped his knuckles against the doorframe to catch her attention. She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. "Hey you," she greeted softly, setting the picture frame back into the drawer.

"Monk wants Mama _besos_ ," he stated gruffly, his eyes on the suitcase instead of her.

"Okay," she murmured, slipping by him, her head down. Her scent reached his nose, giving him the urge to grab her arm and pull her in close, kiss her until she couldn't breathe. He resisted the urge, watching her hips sway as she walked down the hallway. He waited until she'd disappeared into Evie's room before heading down the stairs to the living room. Throwing himself on the couch, he turned on some late night cartoons, feeling his eyes grow heavy as he tried to focus on the large screen.

Juice didn't realize he'd dozed off until he felt her warm body stretch out across his. Again the scent of her shampoo infiltrated his senses, calming him the way it always did. "I lied," she whispered, her breath tickling his neck. "I want you there. Of _course_ I want you there."

"But…" he goaded, his fingers raking through her dark hair.

"But you can't be there," she murmured, turning her head to kiss his chest. "Because if you go there, they'll kill you, and I'm not going through that again. I'm not…I can't lose you again."

He sighed, turning his head to kiss her forehead. "You're not going to lose me. I'll stay far, far away from Charming. In Oakland or San Francisco. Just…let me be close to you."

"No. It's not worth the risk, baby," she rasped, sniffling a bit. "Please just…let me deal with this on my own. Please. I have to focus on Lena and being strong for her right now, and I can't do that if you're there. If I know you're in danger."

Juice felt a lump form in his throat, glad he couldn't see her face in the position they were in. He knew the memories of their past had to be haunting her, making her so stubborn about him staying put. Selfishly, he wanted to go with her only because he didn't want to be alone again, but if it was what she wanted; he had no choice but to go along with it. "Me stayin' here, it'll make things easier for you over there?"

"Either way, 's not going to be easy," she told him, tracing shapes along his chest. "But knowing that you're here, that you're _safe_? I need that peace of mind because everything else is going to be complete chaos. I need you to be my rock, to be the sane, stable one to support me when I need you. You can't be that if you're there because everything there will be completely insane for _both_ of us."

"But its so far," he murmured, turning to kiss her forehead. "How can I be there for you when you'll be so far away?"

She sat up, straddling his hips and meeting his gaze. "Because just hearing your voice calms me down," she told him, caressing his cheek with her hand. "And we can FaceTime and text message constantly, and you'll always be right there, in my pocket. Safe and sound."

He moved his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her down for a kiss. "Okay, baby," he murmured against her lips. He knew he'd made the right decision when her shoulders relaxed, a look of relief passing across her face.

"Thank you," she murmured on a sigh, connecting their lips in a sweet kiss.

"Just promise me one thing," he asked, brushing the back of his hand over her cheek. At her eyebrow raise, he continued, "Promise me you'll come back to me. Please."

She was surprised for a brief moment before a knowing look crossed her face. "Of _course_ , I'll come back to you," she promised, kissing him again. "Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "Because you loved your life there. Loved being with your family and your little Scooby gang and working at the funeral home. It was…it was perfect."

"It was perfect because I had _you_ ," she pointed out. As good as her words made him feel, he was still unsure about it, and it must've been written all over his face because she frowned and said, "Baby, I've lived there without you, and it…it _sucked_. All I wanted to do was get out of that hell. I got you back from the dead, Juice, remember? No _way_ am I letting you go again."

Juice sighed softly, pulling her back down to his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around her. He was comforted by the perfect way her body fit with his, her lips pressed to the side of his neck, her hand resting over his heart. He stroked a hand through her hair, breathing her in while he still could and ingraining this feeling into his mind because once she was gone, he didn't know when she'd be coming back. "This sucks."

He felt her mouth curve into a smile against his skin. A light chuckle escaped her hold, blossoming into a laugh that he could feel vibrating through his whole body. He couldn't help but join in with his own laughter. It was a hysterical sort of laughter that felt good. It was the released they needed after such a stressful day. She pushed herself up, her lips crashing down against his, her tongue sliding into his mouth. They pulled away from each other, oxygen starved and still laughing as they undressed each other clumsily. A growl left Juice's throat as he rolled them over. "Juice!" Angela shriek as he blew raspberries into her neck. Her fingers raked through his hair as their eyes met, their laughter dying down as they grew serious.

"God, I love you," he said, roughly kissing her with another growl.

She grinned at him. Her smile warmed him from the inside out, gave him faith that they'd pull through this. That no matter what happened in Charming, they were going to be okay. She love him, and that would never change. She leaned up and kissed his nose. "Love you too, goof."

* * *

 **So its back to Charming for Angela... ;)**

 **As always PLEASE let me know what you think! I'm a little nervous about this whole story since I don't have the canon storyline to fall back on, so any words of support or critiques are very much appreciated!**

 **~Love Ink**


	2. Love in All Its Forms

**I cannot thank you enough for all of your kind reviews, your favorites, and follows! You all make my day with every one I get! :)** **I got back to most of you, but thanks also to: _Guest 1 (_** _Gah! Thanks for sticking with me on this crazy ride! Hopefully you like the twists and turns that are coming up!), **Guest 2** (Hopefully I do Sutter's characters justice as this goes along. Kind of excited to take them on a new path! ;)), **Mickie, Sabrina, Karina** (Lots of Happy/Chloe in this chapter! Hope you like it!), **Guest 3, Mara Peep, and Guest 4.**_

 **This chapter is for all of you Happy/Chloe lovers out there! ;) There'll be a lot more of them in this story...**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Chloe, Angela, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 2: Love in All Its Forms_

 _By Love Ink_

Happy hated seeing his Mom laid out in the hospital bed, hooked up to all sorts of shit. Hated that there was nothing he could do about it. Chloe had tried to make it look more homey. Making sure his Ma had her own private room, putting the sheets from home on her bed, and filling her room with plants. Anything she wanted, Chloe made sure she had. Happy was thankful for that; he might hate being in the damn room, but his Ma didn't seem to mind so much. She was sleeping peacefully now, though her breathing was more labored than usual, something he only knew because he couldn't stop watching the rise and fall of her chest. Chloe had assured him that his Ma was doing okay, that she had more time, but he was reluctant to believe her. If she was doing okay, they'd have let her go home.

He rubbed a hand over his face, fighting to keep his tired eyes open. It'd been a long time since he'd slept. Between his Ma and his club, he was always running around. He didn't need sleep though; he just needed his Ma to get better. If staying awake meant his Ma got everything she needed when she needed it, he was more than happy to stay awake for her. He'd catch a nap later when she went to her appointment. Not now.

"Want some company?" a voice said from the doorway.

He lifted his head to find Chloe leaning against the doorjamb, a concerned look on her face. She'd been his anchor since the first day his Mom had been admitted to the hospital, making sure he knew exactly what was going on without babying him. He knew she was the reason no one bothered him despite the fact he was there way past visiting hours, practically all day every day unless his club needed only time he went home was at night sometimes to sleep. And even that was rare. Sitting back in his chair, he nodded in reply, too tired to say much more.

Her worried hazel eyes raked over him before she moved just within arm's distance of him, his mother's chart in her hands. He moved his hand to her thigh, just wanting to touch her in some way. For some reason, just being near her, touching her, eased the chaos going on in his mind. "She's not declining," Chloe stated, stepping closer to him knowing it was what he wanted.

Slowly, he pulled her down onto his lap, looking over the chart with her, one arm moving around her waist to stroke the soft skin of her stomach. "Ain't doin' better either," he muttered, staring at the nonsense on the paper in her hands.

"Stable is good, Hap," she assured him, her eyes focused on the paper. "Needs to be stable before she can get better."

He grunted in response; they both knew she wasn't going to get better, but he appreciated the sentiment. "Can we at least take 'er home?"

"Doc's want to keep her for a little while longer," she said, massaging the back of his neck as she kept reading. Happy let his head fall forward to give her fingers better access, closing his eyes for a moment and letting himself relax. He felt her lips brush across his temple. "Sleep, Hap. 'm here. I'll watch her."

Happy sighed, lifting his head to glance over at his Ma. She was still sleeping soundly, and he had no doubt, Chloe would stay there until he woke up. "You workin'?" he asked, though he knew the answer. She wasn't wearing scrubs, a clear indication she wasn't working, but he wanted to hear it from her.

"Nope," she answered on a sigh. "Just here for Lena. Sleep. I'll keep watch. Wake you if anything happens."

He knew she would do it too. Chloe had never once let him down when she said she was going to do something. He liked that about her. She didn't lie to him nor did she try to con him into doing things he didn't want to do. She was always straight up with him even though he couldn't always be so honest with her. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back against the chair. She shifted a bit, getting comfortable in his lap while she pulled a book from her purse. Another one of her murder-mysteries. He read it a bit over her shoulder before his eyes grew too tired to stay open, and he drifted off to sleep.

Happy didn't know how long he'd been out, but he woke up to the sound of his mother's hoarse laughter. Chloe was no longer on his lap but sitting on his Ma's bed showing her something on her iPad. He didn't know what they were laughing about, but he closed his eyes anyway, pretending to be asleep to see if he could catch a hint of what it was. He smiled when he heard Evie's little voice followed by loads of splashing and Angela's laughter. Chloe was laughing quietly along with it. "She's a little mermaid," she whispered, pride in her voice as if it were her own daughter she was watching. "Ang says she freaks every time they try to take her outta the pool."

" _Que preciosa!_ She looks just like _Angelita_ did at that age," Elena mused with a rough laugh that turned into a rough cough. ( _How precious!)_

Happy was out of his seat in seconds, taking a step closer with a glass of water ready in his hand. "Here you go, Ma."

She waved him away, clearing her throat as she relaxed against the pillows. "I'm good, _mijo_. Did you see this video? Little Eva _es tan linda_." ( _Eva is so cute/pretty._ )

He nodded; he'd seen every video Angela sent Chloe. Had been in the same room when they were talking on that stupid video chat stuff, yet he hadn't stepped in, hadn't talked to her once since she'd left Charming. He told himself it was to keep her happy, make it easier for her to be away from her home, her family, but really it was for himself. He hated having her so far away, hated the idea of talking to her through a damn camera. It wasn't right. Clearly Angela felt the same way because she hadn't tried to call or contact him either. Two long years of radio silence on both ends. It drove Chloe crazy, but he knew it was better for both of them. It made being apart easier. "Kid was better behaved," he put in with a roll of his eyes.

"Kid had you two. I'm sure Eves get away with a lot more than Ang ever did," Chloe said on a laugh.

"Idiot's a sucker," he muttered under his breath, settling in the chair again. He rubbed at his eyes a moment just as there was a knock on the door.

He looked up to see Tig's wild head of curls peeking in, a Tupperware container in his hands. "From Venus," he said, waiting until Elena waved him in before entering. "Magic brownies."

Chloe gave him a glare for that. "I can _hear_ you, Trager. I _am_ a nurse, you know."

"Yeah, but you won't say anything. Will ya, doll?" he teased with a wink.

She rolled her eyes in response, shaking her head at him. "Do they help at all?" she asked the sick woman in the hospital bed.

Elena smirked and nodded. "Less pain without all the fog of the drugs. And its organic, no?"

Tig laughed, sitting at the edge of the hospital bed. "I knew I liked you, Mrs. Lowman," he stated, popping the top off the Tupperware and handing them to the sick woman before grabbing a brownie for himself. He offered it to Happy who took one as well before Tig held it out to Chloe. "C'mon, nurse. Just one. They're delicious."

Happy watched her consider the brownies and wondered if in the past, she would've taken it. Wondered if she'd ever tried marijuana or if she was a straight laced kind of girl. He quickly shook his head, surprised by the thought. He'd never cared about a girl's past before, yet here he was wondering what she was like as a teenager. He had a feeling she was nowhere near as crazy as Angela had been. "I'll pass, thanks," Chloe said, pushing away the container. "They smell amazing though."

"She said you'd say that. 's why she made you these." He handed her a smaller container with a small note attached to it.

Chloe's eyes lit up as she grabbed it, a big smile on her face. "Oh, I love her. Say thank you for me."

Happy smirked, watching Chloe as she took a big bite and let out a moan of appreciation. If there was one way into Chloe's heart, it was with chocolate. Girl loved it. She had a little dish in her living room that was always filled with Hershey's Kisses. He found the balled up foil from them everywhere. Once, he'd even found one in the pocket of his cut. It was still there. Sometimes he found himself playing with the little ball when he was bored, thinking of the warm way she tasted while he did. "Good shit," he said around the bite of brownie in his mouth.

Tig beamed with pride as he shrugged a shoulder. "I know." He took another bite of brownie in his hand. "Any word from Ang?"

"I talked to her yesterday," Elena said with a warm smile. "She's doing well. Eva gets bigger and bigger everyday."

The SAMCRO VP looked over to Hap for a moment. "She doesn't know about all this, does she?" he asked, gesturing around to the hospital room.

Happy noticed the way Chloe tensed a bit and raised an eyebrow. "She know, Braun?"

"You told me not to tell her, didn't you?" Chloe answered evasively.

He nodded, though he had a sneaking suspicion she'd gone and told her anyway. A part of him hoped she had; he missed his kid and knew deep in his gut that she should be at the hospital with him. It would certainly lift his Ma's spirits to see her again. And if he was honest, he needed her there too.

* * *

Angela stared at her over-filled suitcase, her stomach churning. She'd been throwing clothes in and tossing them out since the night before, not bothering to fold or organize any of it, just shoving it inside carelessly. Looking at it now, she realized there was no way it was going to get zipped closed. For a moment, she considered getting her act together and actually folding her clothes, but that also sounded like a lot of work. "Fuck it," she muttered, closing the lid and laying on top of it while she desperately tried to get it to close. Juice chuckled from the doorway, making her stop and glare at him. "Shut up. It won't fit."

He gently nudged her aside, opening the bag again and shaking his head at the contents. "Baby, you gotta fold this shit if you want it to fit."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," she drawled sarcastically, throwing herself onto the bed next to it. "I don't want it to fit 'cause I don't want to go."

"But you gotta for Lena," Juice reminded her as he assessed the bag. "You get the tickets yet?"

She rolled her head to the side to look at him and sighed. "No. I got the flight picked out and its up on the computer, but I haven't hit confirmed yet. Dino's lettin' me use his points from work, so its not going to cost us anything."

"He told me. 's nice of him," he said, emptying her bag out to start fresh. "Think you should take Eves with you. She should spend some time with Lena while she can."

Angela closed her eyes, already dreading the thought of taking Evie on a plane by herself. Evie hadn't been a good flier when she was a baby; she doubted that would change much. He was right, though. Evie should have the opportunity to spend time with her Nana Lena while she still could. "Yeah," she rasped, opening her eyes to look at him. "Guess she's overdue for a Charming trip."

"Make sure she stays away from SAMCRO. Don't want any of 'em near her. Just Hap, Tig, and Quinn."

"Got it. No cuts allowed around her, promise," she agreed, watching him work. The muscles in his arms moved smoothly under his caramel skin as he rolled her shirt into a tight little roll and set it gingerly inside the suit case. She could always tell how stressed he was by how orderly their house was. Most of the time, it was just neat and tidy. Sometimes, if he was worried or stressed, he'd go through and put everything in their pantry in alphabetical order or organize their closet by color. Watching him now, she saw he was consciously putting her clothes in by color, but she hadn't needed that hint to know he was worried; it was written all over his face.

"Angel?" he asked, pulling her from her study. "You hear me?"

She smirked and shook her head. "Nope. Those guns are pretty distracting."

He made a show of flexing for her, a big grin on his face. "Was sayin' Ken changed his flight. They're landin' in Oaktown 'stead of here. Jazzy too. Figured it'd be nice to have him there since I can't be."

Angela sighed in relief. "That's perfect. Thank you," she murmured, feeling a little bit more secure about going. She knew having Kenny there would help her stay strong. He was quiet, calm, and he would help tremendously with Evie. "I called Skeet. Told him to round up all the papers he's been bitching about, so I can take a look at them."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You gonna work while you're there?"

She shrugged a shoulder, smiling a bit. It was something she was actually looking forward to. The _only_ thing she was looking forward to. It'd been two long years since she'd gotten to work on a decedent, and the mere mention of it was making her hands twitch with excitement. "Might as well. Least I can do some work at the funeral home. Make sure my skills haven't gotten rusty."

Juice gave her a doubtful look, shaking his head as he threw one of her panties in her face. "Like that's possible." She threw it back at him, laughing when he caught it. His smile faded a bit as he folded it and tucked it into the suitcase. "What if you run into Chibs?"

Bile rose up in her throat at the idea of seeing the Scot again. "Then I'll show him _my_ gun," she answered, holding her thumb and forefinger up in the shape of a gun. "Pow."

A look of amusement passed across Juice's face. "Angel…" he dragged out, shaking his head at her with an amused smirk.

"Bad idea?"

"As much as he deserves it, I'd rather you didn't set that kind of example for our daughter."

She frowned a little, hating the idea of Evie being anywhere near her while she was carrying a gun. That was their past life. A life they'd worked hard to get away from. And now, here she was, jumping back in headfirst. "Fair enough," she gave in on a sigh. "Why would Chibs even be there?"

"Lena's Hap's mom, club's going to be there for him. His family is their family."

Angela watched as he paused in his organizing, his hand rubbing over the black square that covered what once was his Reaper tattoo. It was an unconscious action he did whenever he thought about the club. "He's not my fuckin' family," she muttered bitterly. "Hopefully Hap will have the good sense to tell him to stay the fuck away."

He bobbed his head in agreement. "Speakin' of Hap...he know you're comin'?" he asked, zipping the suitcase up with ease before moving it to the floor.

She shrugged again, unsure if Chloe had told him or not. "Dunno. Probably not," she answered, smiling as Juice threw himself down beside her. She stared up at the blank ceiling trying her best not to think of all the problems that could happen during her brief visit to Charming. "Speaking of Charming...how come we never got a mirror here?"

His eyes went to the ceiling, considering it for a moment before shaking his head. "Dunno, but I'm sure we can get one," he said with a shrug before he scowled. "Stop distracting me. We got shit to talk about."

"I'm tired of talking about it," she admitted with a soft sigh. "I'm going over there to say _goodbye_ to the woman who practically raised me. It's pretty fucked up, and I don't want to dwell on it anymore. I can't. It hurts too much."

He moved in closer to her, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Leaning over, he caught her lips in a quick kiss. "You got this, baby. You are the strongest woman I know, and I love you so much."

"Love you too," she murmured kissing him again. She held his face in her hands, studying it for a moment as she stroked her thumbs over his cheeks. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," he answered, shaking his head, no, as he said it. He nuzzled his nose into her neck, breathing deeply. "I'ma miss you. The way you smell," he murmured, kissing her neck. "The way you think," he kissed her forehead, "your beautiful smile," he kissed her lips before trailing kisses down her chest and burying his face in her cleavage. "These."

Angela laughed, running her hand through his hair. "Get outta there, goof!"

He chuckled, slanting his lips against hers as his hands slid under her shirt. She parted her lips, moaning softly when his tongue moved into her mouth. His hands moved to the front of her shorts, tugging open the button. He placed open mouthed kisses along her stomach, licking over her koi fish tattoo, a small smile forming on his lips when she shivered underneath him. "Where's Monk?" he asked, hesitating at the waist of her shorts, unsure of whether to pull them down.

"With your sister," she said, lifting her hips off the bed to allow him to pull her pants down. He pulled back a little to appreciate the dark purple, lace panties she was wearing. His fingers smoothed over the dark purple lace making her squirm underneath his touch. "Like those?"

He nodded enthusiastically, sliding them down her legs before bringing them to his face and taking a long sniff. "Mmm. I'm keeping these."

Angela wrinkled her nose, nudging him with her foot. She knew he loved her panties, that sniffing them was something he did fairly often, but it weirded her out when he did it in front of her a bit. "Nasty boy," she teased, laughing when he blew a raspberry against her stomach. He lifted his head, a bright smile crossing his features making her heart skip a beat. "I love you," she repeated feeling warm and gooey all over. "I love you so much. I don't want to leave."

Juice moved over her, kissing with a low growl. "Love you. Gonna miss you so much, baby. Be fuckin' lonely without you."

She lifted her leg, hooking it around her hips and pulling him in closer. "Don't say shit like that," she told him, nipping at his lower lip. "You're makin' it harder."

He looked down at the bulge in his pants and gave her a wolfish grin. "That's what _he_ said," he breathed, dipping to kiss her again. When he pulled away, there was a nervous look in his eyes. "You'll call? And text and send me pictures?"

If he wasn't so serious, she would've laughed at how random his question was. They were about to get it on, and he decided to get serious on her. "Baby, I'll send you all the pictures you want. Call, Facetime, sext, you name it, its happening."

A relieved smile spread across his face. "Good," he nodded, appeased. "Now, I'm gonna give you something to remember me by."

"How could I ever forget you?" She raked her fingers through his hair as he moved his hands all over her body, his lips searing her skin as he kissed over every inch of her. This was a memory that would be ingrained in her head forever. Being alone with him, in that moment, made all her troubles melt away. For just that moment, it was just him and her, husband and wife. She was in absolute heaven, a feeling she knew wouldn't last. In just a few short hours, she'd go from this heaven to a new kind of hell, and she prayed the memory of this moment would calm her during the chaos she was about to subject herself to.

* * *

After eating more than his fair share of Venus' brownies and his mother's insistence, Happy finally went home to get some sleep. He smirked as he stretched his long legs out on Chloe's bed. It was strange to him how he equated Chloe's house with 'home' now. He'd hadn't had a set home since he was a teenager living at his Ma's house. Being with the club, he usually took over one of their apartments or stayed in a dorm room at the clubhouse; he'd never had a place of his own. Never thought it was necessary. It was stupid to spend so much money on a place he would barely spend any time in.

He liked Chloe's house, though. Loved her dog, her bed, the general warmth and comfort that permeated the place. It was always pristinely clean and smelled mostly like some kind of incense she liked to burn. Some days, he came over and the place reeked of sage and lavender because she'd spent the whole day 'cleansing' it. He didn't believe in that shit, but he had to admit, he liked the smell. She'd even tried to cleanse him once. He'd looked at her like she was crazy and had almost burned the crap out of him when she couldn't stop laughing…which had made him laugh in response. Yet another thing about her he liked. He could count on one hand the number of women who'd ever made him laugh. Three of them were related to him.

Chloe walked down the stairs, a towel around her shoulders, her wet hair looking longer than it did when it dried. She was make-up free and wearing a pair of NYPD sweatpants and one of his tanks. He knew the sweats belonged to her deceased fiancée which annoyed him, but he kept quiet about it. She put up with so much of his shit, it was only fair he let something as minimal as that go. She was wearing _his_ tank, after all. She sunk down on the couch next to him, drying her hair a bit with the towel, a few beads of water landing on his arm as she moved. Hades came to her, and she smoothed her hand over his silky coat, cooing to him and spoiling him with love the way, he imagined, she would a kid.

"She's comin', isn't she?" he asked, thinking about his own kid.

A small smile pulled at the corner of her lips, giving him the answer he needed. "Maybe."

He gave her a knowing look. "Braun."

She rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue at him. "Of _course_ she's coming, Hap. Lena practically raised her. She's gotta be there for her now. And _you_ need her. Magic brownies or not, this is the calmest I've seen you in _months_ , and I know its 'cause you know Ang is comin'. You can't deny that."

He grunted in response. She was right, of course. The minute he got the slightest hint his kid was on her way, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Whatever," he grumbled, setting a hand on her knee. "Idiot comin'?"

Once he initiated contact, she usually wasn't slow to follow. She brushed the back of her hand over his cheek in a soothing motion. "Not sure. I'm sure he'll try, but she's not gonna let him. Not if it puts him in danger."

He briefly considered going to Chibs and telling him the whole story just so Angela would have the support she needed when the shit inevitably hit the fan. He had enough on his plate, though. He didn't know how Chibs would react when he told him about his betrayal, and he didn't need that extra shit on his plate. Not when his Ma was so sick. "And the brat?"

"Dunno. Ang just said she was coming, but I think Juice would push her to bring Evie over. He's all about family."

"Hope so. Ma would like that."

Chloe smiled softly, nudging him lovingly with her elbow. "You would too."

He smirked a bit; she knew him too well. Though he heard stories and saw videos, he'd never actually talked to his niece. He wondered if she even knew who he was. "Yeah," he admitted softly. "Ain't gonna be easy on 'er."

"Ang is strong. If anyone can handle this, it's her."

Happy nodded in agreement. "She happy over there?"

She nodded, tracing over his tattoos with a finger. "She misses you. Always asks about you. You two are just stupid and won't talk to each other if it's not face to face…which is totally ridiculous, by the way. You two use to talk on the phone, right?"

That was a complicated manner; one he'd discussed with her time and time again. It always ended with both of them incredibly annoyed at each other. Back when she was in Tacoma, and he had to go on a run, he'd talk to her all the time. Make sure she stayed on the straight and narrow and wasn't messing around with any Mayans. But she was all grown up now. She didn't need his constant check ins. He'd let her go. All he wanted was for her to be happy and _stay_ happy without him intervening with all his SAMCRO shit. "Don't worry about it," he answered, fighting a yawn.

"All right," she conceded, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "You're switchin' dwarves on me. Time for bed, Sleepy."

Happy rolled his eyes at her. "Switchin' dwarves?"

"Like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," she explained slowly. He gave her a blank stare, though he knew what she was talking about. Angela had teased him about it more than once. Chloe smirked. "You want me to rattle them off for you?"

" _Can_ you?"

"Happy, Sleepy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, and Doc," she rattled off all on one breath. "I've seen you go through just about five of those save for Bashful and Doc, but I'm sure Ang has seen the Doc. I'm sure you were the best at skinned knees and shit. All tough love and 'walk it off' type shit. Its the Bashful part I'd love to see. Get some blush around those dimples you like to pretend you don't have."

He shook his head at her, fighting against a smile. "Ain't ever gonna happen."

She raised her eyebrows at him, a sparkle in her eyes. "Well, that's a challenge if I've ever heard one," she stated determinedly. "Just watch, Lowman. I'ma make you blush. Just you wait."

He chuckled roughly. "You're somethin' else, Braun."

Chloe leaned over to smack a kiss to his cheek. "You better believe it." She stood, grabbing his hand and trying-and failing-to pull him up from the couch. "C'mon Sleepy. Bedtime."

"How 'bout I show you Horny instead?" he teased, slapping her ass as he got to his feet.

She looked at him perplexed, though her pupils had gone big. "You know, I'm not familiar with that one," she replied, playing dumb.

Happy had been with women. Tons of them. But Chloe had been the only one who had caught his interest. The only one that held it enough for him to joke around with her like this. He had to admit, he enjoyed it. Grabbing her around the waist, he threw her over his shoulder, caveman style, enjoying her laughter as she went willingly. "I'll introduce ya."

* * *

 **Lots of fluffy stuff in this chapter, I know. But I'm having some fun playing with Hap and Chloe's relationship and exploring more about Chloe herself. They're an odd duo, and she's a lot more interesting than I originally thought. ;)**

 **As always, let me know what you think! Y'all make my day with your reviews and comments! :)**

 **~Love Ink**


	3. A Charming Homecoming

**Thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, favorite, and follow! I'm so appreciative to hear your thoughts and concerns! I got back to most of you, but thanks also to: _Guest and Sabrina!_**

 **There's a lot of Spanglish in this chapter. I tried to translate most of it, but if you're confused at all, send me a message and I'll add on the other ones. I usually don't write them in until I edit, so I might've missed a few! ;)**

 **This chapter is also one of the longest I've ever posted, so my apologies! I just couldn't find a good place to cut it!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _Overexposed_

 _Chapter 3: A Charming Homecoming_

 _By Love Ink_

Juice held Evie tightly in his arms, rocking her while he watched Angela take care of their check-in luggage. His baby girl was half asleep, her head on his shoulder, arms around his neck. He'd spent the extra cash to park their car just so he could have this extra moment with his girls without having to worry about people rushing them. They were set to leave on the red eye to Oakland in hopes that Evie would sleep on the plane. Juice had a feeling their plan was a little too hopeful. As tired as Evie was, she was also really excited about going on the plane. He turned his head to kiss her forehead, inhaling her warm scent, happy to hold her for as long as he could before they left.

She stirred a bit, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. "I fly, Daddy," she murmured sleepily.

"Yeah, Monk. You're going to fly on the plane with Mama," he told her, his eyes on Angela, watching her with worry. She was being way too calm about everything, it was like the quiet before a storm. Only he wasn't going to be there to help calm the inevitable storm, and it already had his stomach in knots.

"We go to California? See Mama's family?" she asked around a yawn.

"Yeah, baby girl," he answered. It felt weird to have her refer to the family in California as Angela's; they'd been his once too. "All of 'em."

"Daddy go too?"

"Not this time, Monk. Daddy's gotta stay here to take care of Rigs," he explained, kissing her temple again.

"Riggy no fly?" she asked, leaning back to look at him in shock.

Juice smirked; his daughter seemed more upset about leaving the dog than about leaving him. "Nope. Rigs is going to stay with Daddy this time. Doggies don't like to fly."

"Oooh," she drawled out, seemingly appeased by the explanation. "And Jazzy?"

He fought the urge to laugh. Evie loved her brother, but it was his girlfriend who she idolized. "Your brother 'n' Jazz are gonna meet you guys out there later," he assured her. "You gotta promise you'll be good for Mama. Listen to her and behave, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. I be good."

He held out his pinky to her. "Pinky promise?"

Evie smiled, hooking her pinky around his. "Pinky pwomise," she replied, kissing his nose with a giggle. "Love you, Daddy."

Juice felt a lump in his throat at the idea of not seeing his beautiful little girl for an undetermined amount of time. "Love you too, Monk. So much," he murmured, kissing her cheek and holding her just a little tighter.

Angela approached them, looking a little frazzled. "Got the boarding passes and checked in the big bag. So that's done. Plane is leaving on time for the moment. We don't have a connecting flight, thank God, and we have a window seat with no one sitting next to us," she rambled on in one breath. "Think we're ready."

"Plane time?" Evie asked, yawning again.

"Plane time," Juice confirmed, kissing her cheek. " _Beso_ , _monito_."

Evie gave him a loud kiss, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. " _Beso_!" she shouted, more awake now as her excitement set in. He noticed Angela grimace and chuckled as he bent to put Evie in her stroller. She squirmed against him, doing her best to keep him from strapping her in. "No, I walk, Daddy! I'm a big girl!" she insisted, kicking her legs out.

"Too many people, Monk. Stroller time. What'd we say about being good?" he reminded her, clicking her in despite her protests.

She pouted a bit but stopped as soon as she had her little stuffed bull dog close by. "I be good."

"Love you," he told her once more, wanting that to be the last thing he said to her instead of the warning. "You know that."

"Love you too," she murmured, snuggling into the stroller with her bulldog tightly in her arms.

Juice smiled at her, running a hand over her hair before meeting his wife's gaze. "You ready for this?"

"No," Angela answered honestly. "We should've gotten a return ticket. This one way stuff is bull shit. I want to come home."

This was a fight they'd had just hours before when she was trying to find a return trip. Juice had told her to just get the one way ticket to avoid rescheduling fees if their trip ended up being longer than expected. He knew she hated not having an end date, but he also knew she wouldn't want to leave until everything with Elena was settled. No way was he going to put time restraints on her. Especially since Dino didn't seem to mind having his personal assistant gone for an extended period of time. "And you will when you're ready. There's no deadline, baby. Just enjoy being with your Aunt and Hap. You're going to be fine."

"Yeah? What about you?" she asked, her dark eyes worried as she put her hand on his cheek. "You gonna be okay?"

He breathed in deeply, his chest rising and falling as he let out his breath. "Yeah, fine," he lied. He didn't want them to leave, hated the idea of being alone in that house again. "I got Rigs, don't I?"

She nodded, swallowing hard, the smallest hint of tears in her eyes. "Yeah." She laughed lightly, wiping at her eyes. "Of course. We got our happily ever after, right? This is just a…a bump in the road. We'll go to Charming, take care of Lena, and come back. Everything is going to be okay."

Juice could see her starting to crack and knew it was his turn to be strong for her. "Yeah, baby. Everything is going to be okay," he said, framing her face with his hands. "You and the kids will come back and everything will be back to normal. Promise."

Angela sniffled, holding onto his wrists as she nodded. "Okay."

"I love you," he told her, kissing her softly. He could see her resolve starting to break; if he waited any longer, she wouldn't go. " 's almost time for your flight, baby."

"I know."

"You gotta go."

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. "I know." She shifted on her feet, looking over her shoulder at the airport doors. "Tell me I can do this."

He fought against the urge to smile. "You can do this." He leaned in and kiss her soundly on the lips. "I love you, and you're going to be fine."

She took in a deep breath, strengthening herself. He could see the change in her before his eyes and felt a sense of accomplishment when he realized he'd been the one to help her get to that point. She kissed him again, stroking a hand over his cheek. "I got this."

"You'll call?"

"Every day," she promised, kissing him again. "Face Time too."

Juice couldn't help but give her a naughty grin, his hand going to palm her ass. "Dirty Face Time?'

She shrugged a shoulder, looking over at Evie who was already asleep in her stroller. "Dirty Face Time, sexting, whatever I can get away with, _Juan Carlos_."

"God, I love you," he murmured, pulling her in close for a tight hug. "So much. And I'ma miss you like crazy."

"Miss you too," she replied, snuggling her face into his neck. "Love you."

Juice squeezed her quickly before letting her go. "Go or I'm going to throw you back in the car and hold you hostage."

"Promises, promises." She laughed lightly, her eyes falling on Evie. "Pray that she stays asleep."

He chuckled, leaning over to kiss his daughter's forehead before looking at his wife, just drinking her in. "Good luck, baby," he told her, kissing her one last time. "Be good. Stay safe."

Angela gave him a sad smile as she nodded. "Always."

Juice took her hand, squeezing it softly before letting it slip out of his hold as she walked away. His heart sunk deep in his chest as he watched her go. He had a bad feeling about all of this. A very, very bad feeling.

* * *

When they finally touched down in Oakland, Angela was exhausted. She should've known Evie wasn't going to sleep on the plane; Evie never slept on planes. Thankfully, this time, she was up babbling excitedly about everything she could see through the window instead of crying her head off. Angela tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't get comfortable. The few times she managed to doze off, a little hand against her cheek woke her up as her daughter asked her yet another question.

Of course as soon as she got her in the carseat of her rental, she conked out. Asleep in seconds with the stuffed bulldog Kozik had bought for her held tightly in her arms. Angela checked on her in the rearview mirror, smirking to herself as she drove to the Alvarez household. They'd be staying there since both she and Juice didn't think it was wise to stay in Charming.

It was bittersweet to drive through her old hood. She'd grown up on those streets, loving every minute of it. She stared at the stoplight now, wishing it would change to green before she got there so she wouldn't have to stop in front of the damn building. Alvarez's warehouse was lit up, the Mayan bikes parked neatly in front of it. Something big must've been going on if the brothers were there at sunrise. The stoplight didn't change, and she pulled to a stop, doing her best to ignore the building and all the memories that came with it. Still, the image of Juice being hauled off to his doom by the rest of his brothers was vivid in her mind.

The light changed, and she sped away, pressing on the gas and speeding down the street. Juice would kill her if he saw how fast she was driving with Evie in the car, but she needed the rush. Needed to feel the wind blowing in her face through her open windows. It was refreshing and invigorating. She could do this. They were going to be fine.

"Too windy, Mama!" Evie whined from the backseat, obviously awakened by the gush of wind blowing in her face.

Angela grimaced, rolling the windows back up as she pulled into the Alvarez's street. "Sorry, Eves. You ready to go see Abuela Dia?"

"Yeah!" she answered around a yawn.

She chuckled a bit in response, watching at Evie's eyes drooped closed again. "Now you sleep, ya little monster," she muttered to herself as she pulled into the drive. Stopping the car, she leaned back in her seat, letting out a light sigh as she stared up the house. She'd had her first kiss on the roof, fell in love there, so many good memories and yet, she still felt sad when she looked at the house. Esai's presence was so strong there, and while Dia acted as if she forgave her husband for killing their son, Angela wasn't sure she truthfully did. It was the reason Dia had a little more control over him than she'd had in the past; Marcus still felt guilty about what happened to Esai.

A loud tap on the window snapped her out of her thoughts with a jump. Lino's smiling face appeared in the window seconds before the door opened. "Whassup, _Angelita_!" he greeted happily.

"Lino! What the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed, scrambling out of the car and letting him wrap her up in a big bear hug.

"I'm on watch duty for Dia and Tess. There's some big shit goin' down, so Marc's got me keepin' an eye on 'em," he explained on a shrug. "Also wanted me here to help you get all your shit settled. Open the door, lemme get them bags."

"You're here for _protection_? Shit," she said, glancing back at her sleeping daughter. "Is shit that bad?"

"Nah. Sons pissed of the Triads and the Niners all in one foul swoop. We sided with them, we're catchin' that heat a bit. I'm here as a precaution. Ain't no safer place for you two," he assured her with his usual grin. He peeked through the window and whistled. "Shit! Look at the little one! Ain't a baby no more," he said on a chuckle. " 'bout to have one of my own, actually."

Angela's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Shut up!" she exclaimed, smacking his stomach lightly. "Are you serious?"

He nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, ma girl's only a couple weeks along _pero…_ I can't wait," he explained rubbing his hands together.

Her spirits lifted at the idea of Lino having a kid. He was such a good guy, she had no doubt he was going to be a stellar dad. "Congrats, dude! Who'd you knock up? Tiff?"

"Nah, nah. That's been over for awhile. She's back with Jay," he said, waving away her theory. He cringed a bit before replying, "Don't get mad _pero_ its…its Soledad."

" _Soli_?" She recoiled instinctively at the name. It was one she hadn't heard in ages, but it still made her skin crawl. Soli had been a royal bitch to her for _years_. Openly hating her as she tried desperately to steal Esai in anyway possible. She'd done and said horrible things all through high school and beyond in her desperate attempt to earn her spot as Esai's Old Lady. The one thing she'd give Esai credit for was that he'd never given in. He'd cheated many times, but he stayed the hell away from Soli. " _She's_ still around?"

"Yeah ' _mana_. Her dad's a club member 'n' she owns a salon downtown. Right across from the record store," he explained, his hands tucked into his pockets. "She's a good girl, Ang. We been together for awhile now."

Angela bobbed her head in response, still trying to wrap her head around how good, sweet Lino could've knocked up the Satan's spawn. "Well, th-that's… _awe_ some," she replied with a little less enthusiasm then before. She cringed at her own response. "God, 'm sorry, Lee. I'm…exhausted. I'm so happy for you though. You're going to be an amazing Dad, dude. No matter who the baby Mama is."

Lino shrugged a bit, his smile fading. "I know its weird. _Pero_ she's different now, _chiqui_. She's real sorry 'bout all that shit. We talked about it when I told her you were comin' home. She wants to get together. Make amends 'n' shit. She did a lot of growin' up since the last time you saw her."

"Oh I'm sure." She grunted as she grabbed her suitcase from the back of the rented car. "Look, I love you, Lino, _pero_ I got a lotta shit on my plate andmaking nice with Soli is at the very _end_ of my list."

"I hear ya, I hear ya," he gave in with a nod. "You wanna get the little one and I'll grab your shit?"

She nodded, carefully unhooking Evie from her seat and lifting her up into her arms. Evie stirred a bit, rubbing at her eyes as she yawned. "We here?" she asked sleepily.

"Yeah, baby," Angela murmured, kissing her temple. She looked over at Lino who was grinning at the young girl. "This is your Tio Lino."

"What's up, Evie? Nice to see you again. Last time I saw you, you was this tiny little pink, squishy thing with like no teeth," he teased, squeezing her little hand. "Looked like a little baby doll or somethin' _pero_ now yous a little lady!"

Evie giggled back at him, perking up a bit. "You're silly, _Tio_." She yawned widely, putting her head back on her mom's shoulder.

Angela rubbed a hand over her daughter's back. "You tired, Evie-doll?"

"No," she murmured, already half asleep.

Lino chuckled, stacking the suitcases and starting to roll them towards the house. He opened the door for them, letting Angela and Evie go in before him. Once he got the suitcases inside, he made sure to lock all three locks and throw the padlock. It seemed a little extensive to Angela for what Lino described as a "little bit of heat". "That's a lotta locks."

"Safety first," Lino explained on a shrug.

"They're drama queens. All of 'em," Dia's voice came from behind them. "Welcome home, _mija_."

Angela smiled widely at the older woman before looking down at Evie who was sound asleep on her shoulder. "I swear, she was awake and excited to see you like ten seconds ago."

Dia chuckled, kissing Evie's head before kissing Angela's cheek. "I understand. Been a long trip. You two need some sleep. Go. Esai's room is all ready for you. I'm going to wait for Marcus to come home."

She nodded, kissing Dia's cheek. "Thanks, D," she said around a sigh.

Lino followed the up with the bags, gently putting them on the floor. He whistled as he looked around the room. "Somethings never change." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before kissing Evie's head. "Night, pretty girls. See you later."

"Later, dude," she replied, pulling back the comforter and laying Evie down on the bed.

The little girl looked so peaceful all snuggled up with her stuffed dog that Angela didn't have the heart to wake her up to change her. Carefully, she pulled off her shoes and socks before tucking her in. Snapping a quick picture of the sleeping girl, she sent it to Juice along with a goodnight message.

As tired as she was, she went through the motions of brushing her teeth and changing before sliding into the comfy bed. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling, smiling up at the glow in the dark stars that she'd put up to surprise Esai so long ago. Closing her eyes, she tried to sleep, but it eluded her. In just a few hours, she'd be off to St. Thomas to visit her sick aunt, and she desperately needed to sleep before that otherwise, she'd be a basket case. She felt sick to her stomach as she stared at the stars, counting them over and over again to calm her. It was too quiet in the house, though. Way too quiet. Reaching for her phone, she dialed Juice's number.

He answered on the very first ring. "Hey baby. You okay?" he asked. He sounded incredibly alert for someone who should've been sleeping.

She relaxed at the sound of his voice, smiling to herself. "Yeah. Its too quiet here, though. Can't sleep," she admitted, her fingers stroking through Evie's hair.

"Mmkay. Keep the phone on. Rigs and I will snore for you," he answered, sounding a little more tired than he had when he'd answered the phone.

"Oh so now its okay that Rigs is in our bed," she teased, putting the phone between her ear and the pillow.

"Need someone to cuddle with. He's a decent substitute. A little hairier than you but I can deal with it," he replied around a chuckle. "I miss you, though."

She yawned, his soft voice making her sleepy. "Miss you too."

"Go to sleep, baby. You got a busy day tomorrow."

"Okay. Don't hang up."

Juice chuckled again, sending shivers down her spine. " 'm here. Not goin' anywhere, beautiful. Love you."

Angela sighed, letting the sound of his breathing lull her to sleep. "Love you, too."

* * *

After an amazing breakfast at the Alvarez house, Angela packed Evie up and headed to Charming blasting the _Little Mermaid_ soundtrack as they went. Evie was excited, talking up a storm about meeting her Abuela Elena and Tio Happy. Her excitement was usually contagious, but Angela's stomach was doing flip flops, and, though, she was smiling for Evie's sake, she wasn't feeling the excitement.

She tried not to look at the houses as she drove down the street. Ignored Gemma's house, Tara's, purposefully went around the downtown center, steered clear of TM, and took the longest, most roundabout way to their old house. Holding her breath, she turned the corner and was shocked to see a deep blue low-rider sitting in her old driveway. She knew her Ma and Aunt were living at the old house now, but she seriously doubted her Ma was driving a pimped out low-rider. "What the fuck?" she muttered, just low enough so that the annoyingly happy music drowned her out.

For the first time ever, she parked on the street. Looking back at her daughter, she realized she was also entranced by the sparkling car. "Pretty car, Mama," Evie said, pointing at it as Angela lifted her out of the car seat.

"Yeah, real pretty," she answered distractedly. The car was the last thing she was worried about while standing at the threshold of her old house. There were so many memories in there. Good and bad. Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. "See this house? Daddy and I lived here before you were born and after you were born for a bit too."

"It's nice," she stated, walking to the front door. She waited until Angela got there, hand reaching for the doorbell that was just out of reach. "Can I ring?"

Angela smirked at the idea of having to ring the doorbell at what used to be her old house. The place hadn't changed much save for the brightly colored flowers growing in boxes near the door along with a little statue of a frog next to the welcome mat. What had once been their quiet little home now clearly belonged to two old women who loved to garden. "Can you reach?" she asked, ready to hold her if needed. Evie got up on her toes, her little hand held over the doorbell before she turned to look at her Mom for permission. She nodded, "Go for it, kiddo."

Evie giggled as she rang away to her heart's content. Angela made no move to stop her, either, just laughed while she played with one of her pigtails. Graciela opened the door, laughing as she squatted down. "There's my favorite _nieta_!" ( _Granddaughter)_

Evie knew Graciela well through video chats and phone calls, so she didn't hesitate to throw her arms around her. "Abuela!" she shouted, letting her grandma shower her in kisses. " _'buela_ , I went on a plane!"

"Did you now, _mi corazon_? How exciting!" she cooed to her granddaughter. She set her down and pushed her inside. " _Veni._ I've got some surprises for you." ( _My heart...come)_

Angela hesitated at the threshold, staring at the familiar living room, the couch, the TV…all of it came with its own memories. She'd been standing in the very same spot as her mother when they'd told her Juice was dead. When they'd given her his rings. The same spot where Juice had held her while she cried over Kozik's, over what she'd done to Mel. So many awful memories. "It's okay, _mija,"_ her mother murmured, reaching her hand out to squeeze hers. "Everything is different now."

She tensed a bit at her mother's touch, not at all used to being comforted by her. It'd been years since Graciela had ever tried; that was her Aunt's arena. Always had been. She swallowed hard and nodded, a light laugh escaping her lips. "Yeah," she said, sniffling as she pulled away. There was a brief look of pain in Graciela's eyes that made Angela cringe. She hadn't meant to offend her mother. Sighing, she leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek. "How do you like the place, Mama?"

"Oh, I love it! We kept Evie's room just like it was for her to play in when she visits _y los Sons_ made a room for your Tia in the garage with a special bed _y todo_. Come, I show you," she explained, grabbing her hand and pulling her inside. " _T_ _engo un amigo_ over so be nice." (... _and everything...I have a friend over)_

Angela stared at her mother in utter confusion; she'd _never_ seen her so happy. It was creeping her out a bit. " _Okay_ ," she drew out, picking Evie up when she ran to her. Clearly, Evie had seen the stranger and had decided to go straight into shy mode. Rounding the kitchen, she was shocked to find Nero standing there, a mug in his hand, a little tea bag string hanging out of it. "What the hell?"

" 'ey, look who it is!" he exclaimed with a big smile. " _Angelita_ , welcome back _, Mami_. And this must be little _Eva_. Last time I saw you, you were a tiny baby. Look how big you are!"

Evie perked up at that, smiling widely at him. "I'm a big girl!"

"Yes you are, _preciosa_ ," he said, kissing her cheek. " _Bonita como tu Mama_." ( _Precious...pretty like your Mama.)_

Angela let him hug her awkwardly as she shifted Evie on her hip. She had nothing against the man. He'd been nothing but supportive and kind to her ever since she met him. True, Jax has blamed him for Juice not being trustworthy, but Nero hadn't known. It wasn't his fault. Still, she didn't understand why he was in her Mom's kitchen. "Hey Nero. Wasn't expecting to see you here…"

"Uh…yeah," he said with an awkward laugh. His dark eyes went over to Graciela, his shoulder shrugging just a little bit as if he didn't know how to explain it either.

"Nero and I have been spending some time together _, mija_ , _"_ Graciela said gently. She patted Nero's shoulder lovingly. "He's a good man, a good friend."

Her eyes widened as she looked from the tattooed OG in front of her to her mother. There was no way her mom was seeing Nero. Absolutely not. How had they even come into contact with each other? What the hell was going on? "Y-yeah. Well, this is... _interesting_ ," she agreed numbly. Her stomach turned at the thought of her Mom getting Gemma's sloppy seconds. She blinked at them for a minute until Evie started squirming. She set Evie on the ground, shaking her head and clearing her throat. "All right, Evie doll. How 'bout I show you your old room, huh? Get away from this...insanity."

"Mama, that Abuela's boyfriend?" Evie asked, playing with Angela's ring as she held her hand.

"I sure as hell hope not," she muttered, pausing at the mouth of the hallway. Another memory hit her, as clear is if it were happening. Juice's laughter as he chased her down that hall, catching her around the waist and carrying her caveman style into their bedroom. Her breath caught in her throat. Pressing a hand to her aching heart, she turned to the white door on her left, smiling at the pretty lilac 'E' painted on it. She sucked in a quick breath and squeezed her daughter's hand. "Mama and Aunt Ellie painted this room for you before you were even born. Check it out."

She walked in and Evie gasped, her little finger pointing straight at the design on the wall. "Mama! Your tattoos with a heart! So pretty!" She stopped marveling at the artwork a moment as she looked around the room. Her eyes widened when she saw the little kitchen set in the corner, the play food already neatly put beside it. "Look! It's a little kitchen, Mama!"

"Very nice, baby," Angela answered, sitting down on the floor and staring up at the painting on the wall. She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply as she lay back down onto the soft center rug. Juice had picked out the ugly purple thing because it was soft as hell. She ran her hands over it, smiling as she remembered laying with Juice and Evie there the night they'd brought her home. All three of them and Rigor had fallen asleep on the floor that day. She had the precious picture Chloe had taken to prove it. A picture she'd had to hide away when Juice asked her to hide all evidence of his tattoos and his past. It was a shame since it was one of her favorites.

Rolling her head to the side, she stared at the crib underneath the painting, a lump rising in her throat when she remembered the way Juice had knelt in front of it, his face against the slats, apologizing to his baby girl as he thought about ending his life, oxy pills and tequila at his side. It was the third time she'd almost lost him for good.

"Mama, why you crying?" Evie's voice broke through her memories. "You okay?"

Angela sniffled a bit, wiping at her eyes and a light laugh escaping her lips. She hadn't even realized she was crying. "Yeah, I'm okay, baby girl."

"You miss Daddy?" she asked, kneeling by her side. At her Mom's nod, she handed her a plastic cookie. "Here. Cookie make you feel better."

She laughed, grabbing Evie around the waist and lifting her in the air before pulling her back down to pepper her face with kisses. Her giggles filled the air and soon Angela felt herself laughing along with her. "Oh, I love you, baby girl," she sighed, setting her down next to her.

"Love you too, Mami." She kissed her cheek before going back to the little kitchen.

Graciela cleared her throat from her place at the door. "You okay?"

"Fine," Angela lied. She wasn't okay. Everything about being there was hard as hell. "Eves, can I leave you with Abuela to visit Nana Lena? Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, Mama. Go. I'll cook here with Abuela," Evie answered, waving her little hand to wave her off. " 'buela, what do you want for breakfast? _Huevos_?" (Eggs)

Graciela knelt down beside her granddaughter and nodded enthusiastically. _"Si, por favor_." (Yes, p _lease)_

Angela sighed, getting to her feet with a grunt. She leaned over and kissed her daughter's head, breathing in her lavender shampoo for a moment before heading out of the room leaving her daughter to play with Graciela. Taking in a deep breath, she collected her emotions and headed to the kitchen. Nero was sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper as if he did it every day because maybe he did, she thought with a cringe.

He looked up when he heard her come in, nodding to her in greeting. "We good here, _Mami_? Know this is weird."

She almost laughed at how absurd this was. Nero and her mom. It wasn't possible. "I honestly don't know. I don't have time to even _process_ this. Look, I'm exhausted, and I need to see my aunt. Only reason I came here first was to leave Eves with her actual grandma, so I can see Lena on my own and find a way to explain it to my three year old daughter without freaking her out," she explained, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So we're not doin' this 'talking' crap right now because, right now, I have to go see my dying Aunt, okay?"

"All right, all right," he said holding up his hands in defeat. "Your Tia' _s_ doin' okay, though. Tough old broad. She'll pull through."

"I don't need a dad right now," she interjected, trying to keep her temper. She was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, so she dealt with it the only way she knew how; she lashed out. "I got this. Thanks."

Nero nodded a little, hiding a grimace as he took a sip of his tea. "Didn't mean no harm in it. Just wanted you to go into it strong."

Angela bristled a bit at his words, clenching her jaw as she fought against the urge to cuss at him; he was just trying to be nice, but it was all too much. She didn't have the patience for it. It was easier to be rude and angry than let him be nice to her. "Yeah. Thanks," she muttered, grabbing her keys off the counter. "Tell my Ma to call me if Eves needs me. I'll come running…somethin' that'll be foreign to her."

He gave her a quizzical look, but she didn't give him the time to respond. She breezed out of there without looking back. Getting in the car, she leaned back in her seat and stared up at the ceiling. She sighed softly, raking her hand through her hair. "Shit," she cried out, slamming her hand against the steering wheel. She started the car and pulled out of the driveway, shaking her head as she went. "I fuckin' hate Charming."

* * *

The drive to St. Thomas took half the time it should've. Angela sped through the side streets like a bat out of hell. Thankfully, no police officer caught her because she would've chewed them out...and probably landed herself in a cell because of it. She slowed down as she approached the parking lot, swinging into a spot next to a very familiar motorcycle. Her heart rose in her throat. She'd been so preoccupied with her Mom's craziness, she'd forgotten about Hap. Letting out a long breath, she couldn't help but smile; it'd been way too long since she'd seen her cousin. She drew in a deep, strengthening breath and headed inside. She'd barely made it to the front desk when a familiar voice greeted her. "Hello Angela. Good to see you. It's been awhile," Margaret Murphy greeted with a small nod.

"You too, Margaret," she replied politely. "I uh…I'm here to see my Aunt. Elena Lowman. Can you tell me what floor she's on, please?"

"Right, right. Let me see." She moved around the desk, shooing away a nurse to personally look it up for her. "You know, your mother has been a real asset to this place. She's been pivotal in helping me organize the nursing schedule and make sure everything's running smoothly on their end. We love having her here."

Angela nodded; she knew her mother was a great nurse. Her co-workers had told her time and time again whenever she visited the hospital. As a kid, she'd been proud of what a great nurse she was, but as she grew up, she'd resented it. She was a great nurse, sure, but being such a great nurse meant a lot of missed recitals and birthdays. Angela could count on one hand how many times her mother had tucked her into bed or been there to say goodnight. Yeah, she was a great nurse, but she wasn't such a great mother. "Glad she can help," she stated, on a tight smile.

"And your Aunt is a delight to have, though your cousin tends to scare off a lot of the nurses. Think we've only got one nurse left standing," she mused on a chuckle.

"Let me guess, Nurse Braun?"

Margaret nodded, smiling at her. "You know her then?"

She tapped her fingers nervously on the counter, wishing Margaret would stop with the pleasantries and just tell her the room number already. "I sure do," she stated, trying her best to look at the monitor for the room number. "What's my Aunt's room number? I'm sorry, I'm just...I just flew in, and I'd love to see her."

"Here she is. We've got her on a private room on the fourth floor. Room 420."

Angela bit back a laugh at the number. "Really?"

"Yes," the administrator answered with a blush. "Will you be stopping by to visit the Teller boys at all? I'm sure Abel and Thomas would love to see you."

Her stomach dropped at the names, and she blinked at her in disbelief. "The Teller boys are still in Charming?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Wendy was offered a permanent position here and that, paired with free housing, led her to stay. Mr. Padilla has been helping with them as well. He picks them up from school and takes them to his ranch on the weekends. It's a good set up for them. Stable. They stay far away from the club at all costs, though I know Mr. Telford visits with them every so often."

Angela sighed softly, raking her hand through her hair. "But Tara worked so hard…"

"Its better now. No Gemma, no Jax, they actually have a very good life going for them with a wonderful support system. Abel's even been saying he wants to be a doctor like Tara," Margaret told her with a laugh. "I'm sure they'd both love to see you. Abel has mentioned his Auntie Gee once or twice, actually. He has a picture of Jax and Tara with you and your husband in his room."

"Must be an old picture," she muttered under her breath. She didn't want to think about the old days. Days when Juice and his SAMCRO brothers had actually been one happy, healthy family. It seemed like a lifetime ago. She sighed softly, glancing at Margaret's concerned face. "I'd like to see them too. I'll stop by if I get the chance. Nice seeing you, Margaret."

"You too, Angela. I'm sure I'll see you around."

She nodded, stepping into the elevator and closing her eyes as she waited for it to take her to the fourth floor. Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, she tried to think of everything but Tara. The poor woman had given her all to get her boys away from Charming, had given her _life_ in the attempt, and yet, they were still there. It made what she was trying to achieve with Juice feel like a temporary fix. Like as hard as they'd worked to have their happy ending away from Charming, something was going to pull them back in. Hell, she was already there, and she knew Juice would be there too if she said the word. But that wasn't going to happen. She wouldn't allow elevator doors opened, revealing a very empty floor. She knew it was for long term patients which made her feel even worse. She wanted to turn around and run. Run away from everything. Straight back to Texas where she had Juice and everything was good. She couldn't run, though. Her Aunt needed her, and she wasn't about to leave her in her time of need. Not when she'd always been there for her.

She stopped short when she turned the corner to the hallway. Happy and Chloe were standing there, their heads close together as they talked. Chloe's back against the window, Happy in front of her, his hand on her hip, half of it hidden underneath the hem of her mint scrub top. Chloe had her head tilted back as she talked to him, her hands waving about as she talked. When she stopped talking, he dipped his head to kiss her temple like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Except it wasn't, Angela thought, eyes wide. That wasn't her Hap. Her Hap didn't kiss girls in hallways. Didn't tenderly stroke their hips or tenderly do… _any_ thing. Hell, it was a struggle to get him to hug anyone but family for more than five seconds. It was strange but seeing them together relieved her somewhat. Chloe might think she was in over her head with Hap, but it didn't seem that way. It looked like she was handling him just fine, and Angela was appreciative of that. But if he was okay and her Ma was happier than ever, what the hell had possessed Chloe to call and demand she come back to Charming? What was she going to see when she stepped into Elena's hospital room?

Chloe spotted her first, a slow smile spreading across her face as she nodded in greeting. Angela nodded back, glued to the spot, unsure of whether to move or not. Happy turned his head, his dark eyes locking on hers, a look of surprise and relief flitting across his face. That look alone spurred her to move in closer. He stepped towards her too, and they met somewhere in the middle, both at a loss for words, both unsure of what to do next. The smallest hint of a smile turned up the corner of his mouth. "Hey kid," he murmured, dipping his head in greeting.

"Hey," she greeted, shifting nervously in front of him. Stepping closer, she leaned her head against his chest, breathing in the scent of his leather as his arms encircled her. He smelled the same as he had since she was three years old. Cigarettes, leather, and something else. Something she couldn't put her finger on, but it was always there. The same comforting smell that lingered on his clothes no matter how many times they were washed. Clothes she'd hold tight and sleep with when she was little and he was away on runs. She moved her arms around him, sighing softly as relief washed over her. Happy was there, everything was going to be okay. "Missed you," she rasped, fighting against tears, though she felt a few slip down her cheeks.

Happy's lips brushed across her temple. "You too," he agreed, his hand stroking over her hair as he held onto her longer than usual. Finally, he pushed her away, holding her out at arm's length for a moment, his dark eyes assessing her every feature. "You okay?"

Angela laughed lightly, wiping at her eyes. "Yeah," she nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm good. Tired. H-how are you?"

"Fine." He moved his arm around her shoulders while he looked through the window into Elena's room. Chloe was inside, talking to Elena while she fussed with the machines. "She's stable."

"Stable," she repeated on a breath. "T-that's good, right? Better than before? She had to have been bad for Chlo to call…"

Happy shrugged a shoulder. "No better, not worse. Stable."

Angela cursed under her breath, hating the lump that was quickly rising into her throat. "This sucks," she muttered, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Yup," he agreed, bobbing his head. "Idiot and the brat come with you?"

"Evie's here. Juice is…" she trailed off before taking in a deep breath. She struggled to find the right words to explain it. It made her feel guilty to say he was doing well in Texas because, in reality, he wanted to come with them, wanted to help her through all of this. But he couldn't because he didn't exist in Charming any more. Everyone here thought he was gone, and it had to stay that way. She swallowed hard as she remembered the look on Chibs' face when he told her Juice was gone. The feeling of his heavy, blood stained rings when Happy dropped them in her palm. "He's dead."

To his credit, Happy kept a straight face, though his eyes dropped to the floor. "Yeah. Right. You stayin' with your Ma?"

She sniffled a bit, grateful for the change in subject. The idea of Juice being dead had set her stomach churning again. Thinking about it any longer was sure to have her running to the bathroom either to throw up or sob. "Oh, you mean my Ma and Nero? No, I'm not staying with _that_ craziness."

He smirked a bit, ducking his head down as if he was trying to hide a laugh. "She's happy. Leave it alone."

She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "He's Gemma's sloppy seconds. That's fucked up."

"Don't worry about it. 's not what you're here for," he reminded her. He nodded towards the hospital room. "She don't think you're comin'. You ain't even supposed to know how bad this shit is."

"Which is bull shit. You should've called me earlier. She's my Ma too," she shot back, glaring at him.

Happy sighed softly. "You coulda called me to check in."

"How? You don't have a home phone or personal. I'm the constant. You're s'posed to call _me_. That's how this works," she pointed out calmly, not angry with him or annoyed. They both knew the reason they didn't call each other; it was too hard for both of them.

"Don't matter now," he stated, easily veering away from the topic. He nodded towards the hospital room. "Go. Visitin' hours are over soon."

Angela nodded, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. "Love you, Hap," she told him before going for the door. Elena was scowling at Chloe while she fussed over the different machines she was hooked up to. Angela let the door close behind her with a click and all of a sudden, all eyes were on her. Elena's dark eyes lit up as a smile graced her face. _"Mira quien vino! Mi Angelita!_ I must be really sick if you're here. _" (_ Look who came! My little angel!)

"Hi Tia _,_ " she greeted, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Nah, I think Hap and Chloe are exaggerating a bit. You look good to me."

Chloe rolled her eyes at them, muttering something about the Lowman genes before walking out of the room. Elena reached out to take Angela's hand, squeezing it tightly. " _Yo te quiero tanto, mi amorsito._ It's so good to see you. _Venistes con tu familia_?" ( _I love you so much, my little love. Did you come with your family?)_

Angela nodded, smiling sadly. "Evie's with my Ma and Kenny's on the last leg of his senior trip, so he'll be here the day after tomorrow. Juice is…"

" _Juancito_ is dead here," Elena finished off, shaking her head in disapproval. "And yet you still come. For me?"

"Of course, Tia _._ I love you, and I want Evie to spend some time with her Nana Lena," she said on a light laugh. "I'll bring her by tomorrow. I just wanted to see…"

"How bad I was?" Elena asked around an awful cough. "I'm not so bad, _mija_. I don't know what the fuss is about."

Angela sat on the bed next to her, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. They could talk about her health all day, and Elena would always insist she was okay. She didn't believe her, though. Not for a second. "Me either. You look good," she stated, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "So what do you know about Ma and this new guy?"

The older woman chuckled, shaking her head. She looked relieved at the subject change, her hand reaching out to pat Angela's. "So you finally found out, huh? She didn't want to tell you."

"Yeah, well she shoulda," she grumbled, twisting at her ring. "I'm her _daughter_. I deserve to know."

Elena looked amused, a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at her niece. "And how many _years_ were you with _Juancito_ before you told your mother?"

She scowled. "That's different."

"How many years, _Angelita_?" she insisted, her voice borderline scolding.

Angela cringed as she realized just how right her aunt was. "Four. But that was different! Ma's a pain in the ass when it comes to my boyfriends! She would've scared him off!"

" _Y tu?_ She didn't tell you _porque_ she didn't want you to change her mind. She's happy. _Dejala_." ( _And you?...because...Leave her.)_

"Yeah, well Juice wasn't a pimp," she commented flatly.

"No, _era un_ biker _como tu primo y tu Tio Chico_. The very kind of man your dad didn't want you anywhere near. But that was your destiny, _mijita_. You found a good, smart, kind man who just happened to be a biker. He was meant for you, and we're both happy for you two _y la familia que hicistes_. I'd rather talk about them anyway. How are my favorite grandnephew and grandniece? Kenny's going to college next year, yeah?" _(He was a biker like your cousin and your Uncle Chico...and the family you made)_

Angela smiled proudly and nodded. She still couldn't believe the path Kenny had chosen. "Yeah. He was offered scholarships for football at all sorts of places, but he decided on this place in Sac that has mortuary science. He wants to become a mortician," she explained on a smirk.

Elena smiled fondly, squeezing her hand. "Like his Mama."

"Yeah, I guess. And it helps that his girlfriend is going to school an hour away in Davis. She doesn't know what she wants to do just yet, though. They'll both be here soon and tell you all about it, I'm sure. You'll like Jazzy. She's pretty awesome. Evie just loves her."

" _Y Juancito_?"

Angela's heart squeezed painfully in her chest at the mention of her husband. She hated that he couldn't be there right now. "He's good. He's…blossoming at his job and happy, so happy. We have this perfect little life over there. He and Dino barbeque on Sunday and the kids spend all day at the pool. And its just…perfect. All that's missing is the white picket fence."

"And a good job for you," Elena put in on a frown. "Because you're not as happy as you would be if you had your job _con los muertos_. I know you, _Angelita_. You're happy _pero_ you could be happier." ( _with the dead people)_

She sighed, hanging her head a bit. "I could be _pero_ there's nothing I can do about it. I've applied to-"

"Every funeral home within driving distance," Elena finished with a frown. "I know, _mija_. You'll find your place. You always do. _Y Eva?_ How is my beautiful grandniece?"

Angela smiled, stretching out on the bed next to her. "She's Juice's daughter. Through and through. She's smart and a total neat freak. Not a daredevil unless it comes to water. She loves our pool. We call her our little mermaid because she's obsessed. Re-did her room so its all mermaid themed. I swear we have _The Little Mermaid_ memorized because she watches it so much. She'll tell you all about it if you ask…which I don't recommend because she talks…a _lot_ and to everyone."

"I'll give you money. You go buy her a mermaid doll from her Nana Lena. _Por favor_? I'll give it to her when she visits. Makes hospitals less scary. We did it with you when your Papa got sick. Remember?" ( _Please)_

"Hap got me new markers and a drawing pad just like his. We'd spend hours in the waiting room drawing and coloring things to hang up in his room," she replied with a small smile. She still had a few of those drawings saved somewhere.

Elena nodded, squeezing her hand lovingly. "He loved those pictures. He'd show 'em to all the nurses and tell 'em how proud he was of his _ninos_. He was holding one when he passed, _sabias_? He wanted to go home _pero_ he said you two made it feel like home with your drawings. _Y la_ Chloe is working so had to make this home for me too. She's a good one." ( _kids...did you know?)_

"Yeah." Angela smiled, feeling a lump form in her throat. She leaned over to kiss her Aunt's temple. " _Pero_ you're not goin' anywhere yet, Tia. No pictures for you."

She chuckled, coughing a little bit as she did. "Whatever you say," she murmured, stroking a hand through her hair. "Your hair's a mess, _mijita_. Grab the brush from my nightstand. _Yo lo arreglo_." ( _I'll fix it)_

Leaning over, she grabbed the closest brush and scooted forward so her aunt could gain access to her hair. Closing her eyes, she relaxed as Elena stroked her fingers through her hair. For the first time since she'd gotten to Charming, things felt normal. It almost felt like home again.

* * *

Happy stood at the window watching his Ma braid his cousin's hair while the two of them talked and laughed as if they were sitting in the living room at home, not in the hospital. He hadn't seen his mother so at ease in weeks. If he'd known Angela being there would calm his mother this way; he would've gotten her over there sooner. Maybe if she had been, his Ma wouldn't have gotten so bad so fast. He'd wanted to be angry at Chloe for calling her over, for sticking her nose where it didn't belong, but he couldn't be; she'd made the right call in this situation. His Ma needed Angela. _He_ needed Angela. He'd never admit it, but he was thankful to the nurse for having thought to bring his cousin back. To bring her home.

"Now there's someone I haven't seen in a while."

The heavily accented voice pulled him from his thoughts and made him grimace. He was appreciative his President was there to support him and his family, but he knew Angela wouldn't be. He nodded in reply. "Got in last night."

Chibs nodded in approval, stroking a hand over his beard in thought. "How she been?"

"Fine," he replied curtly.

"She bring the little one too?"

Happy nodded slowly. "She's with Graci 'n' Nero. Wanted to test the waters 'fore she brought her over here."

"Aye. Best not to scare her, right?" he commented, his face a mask of indifference. "Just dropped the Teller boys over at your Aunt's for Nero. Didn't see little Ortiz over there. Must've been in the back."

He fought against a smirk; no way would Graciela let him near Evie. Not without Angela's approval. If Angela ever found out about it, it'd be the last time she ever let her babysit and that was a risk Graciela would never take. "Yeah."

"Ye think she'll have a problem with her gettin' to know the Teller boys?" Chibs asked, shifting nervously.

Happy knew he was nervous because Nero was one of the best babysitters the boys had and lately, he spent most of his time with Graciela. If Angela didn't want Evie near the Tellers, it was going to become a problem with Nero. "Nah. She loves those boys 'cause a Tara. They ain't gonna bother her. Won't wanna see you, though."

"Figured as much," he replied on a frown. "She stayin' at her Ma's?"

"At the Alvarez's," he corrected, crossing his arms over his chest. "Safest place for her."

Chibs' eyebrows rose in shock. "What's her connection with 'em anyway? Juicy never said…"

"Lotta history. Dated the Alvarez boy when she was a kid while I was inside. They took her in, took care a her for three years like she was theirs," he explained, giving him more than usual because of his status in the club. "Marcus still thinks a her like a daughter. 's why he wanted her in exchange for the idiot. Didn't want us to hurt her."

"Always thought that was strange," he mused, his dark eyes drawn back to the window. "How come we never used that before? Jackie-boy worked with Alvarez all the time. Woulda been nice to have her support with him."

Happy shook his head, clenching his hands into fists as he did so. He wasn't a big fan of Chibs wanting to use his cousin as a bargaining chip. Angela's Mayan past had been covered up by him and Juice for a reason; they both wanted her to stay out of their club's shit. "Wouldn't a happened. Ain't her place."

"Hmm," Chibs grunted, crossing his own arms over his chest. "Strange she can forgive him and not us. Doesn't seem right, does it? Was Alvarez that turned him in."

"He wasn't the idiot's brother," he explained succinctly.

"Aye, that's true."

Happy shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like talking about his cousin with anyone but his family and Chloe. "Where we at with everythin'?"

"We're gettin' it from all sides, brotha. Triads want to get us back for Lin, Niners are up in arms about Marks. We 'ave support from the Mayans in everythin', but the Niners are fightin' 'em for territory in Oakland. 's only a matter of time 'fore the Triads muster up a crew big enough to come after us. Everyone's layin' low now. Organizin'. But it's bound to blow up sooner or later," he explained miserably.

"How're our numbers?"

"Too low for a war. I put a call out to Tacoma, SAMTAZ, see if they've got brothers to spare. Don't want it to come to that though."

Happy nodded in agreement. If shit blew up with the Niners and the Triads, they'd be shit out of luck. As much as he would love to get his hands bloody again, he wasn't a fool; he knew they weren't strong enough for another war. "Most of Lin's crew is gone. Niners are just pissed about territory 'n' shit. T.O. 'n' his boys should go talk to 'em. See where they're at."

He shrugged a shoulder. " 's not a bad idea. Ye think Angie being here will make sure the Mayans stay close?"

"Think it's none a her business," he answered honestly, rubbing at his scruffy chin. "Kid's been through enough. Ain't throwin' her into this shit again. Not when she just got out."

"Fair enough."

Chibs glanced at the door, looking as if he was about to go to it. Happy reached out a hand, grabbing his President's arm and shaking his head. "Leave her alone. Ain't no good gonna come from that," he stated firmly.

The Scot hung his head in defeat, sighing softly. "I just…I want to know that she's okay. That her baby girl's okay."

Happy fought the urge to laugh at Chibs' obviously guilty conscience. "They're fine."

"That all you gonna give me?"

He nodded, his eyes falling on his cousin. She was smiling with his Ma now, both of them laughing together as his Ma tied up her braid. "Dunno what more you want."

"Right," he breathed, letting out a long sigh. "I'm goin' back to the clubhouse. Tell the rest of 'em to stay away."

"Thanks, brotha," Happy rasped, watching him walk away. He had a feeling this wasn't the last time Chibs was going to try to talk to her. The Scot seemed determined to rid himself of the guilt he'd been carrying with him since the day Juice had 'died'. Happy was going to do his best to keep him away, though. Seeing Chibs might send her running back to Texas, and he wanted her to stay home for as long as possible.

* * *

 **There you have it! Angela's back in Charming with the rest of her crazy family! Bet y'all didn't expect to see Nero poppin' up in there! ;)**

 **As always, please let me know what you think! I'd love to know what you liked, didn't like, etc.!**

 **~Love Ink**


	4. Charming Life

**GAH! It took me WAY too long, but it was hard to get this chapter just right! Sorry! (I also blame the Olympics for distracting me.)**

 **Thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to read, review, favorite, and follow! I got back to most of you but thanks also to _Sabrina!_**

 **Big thanks to KupKakes09 for letting me bounce ideas off of her! She's got a great Juice/OC (also Fiasco/OC) story called "Monster" that y'all should check out! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, Evie, and Jazzy. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 4: Charming Life_

 _By Love Ink_

Angela waited on the threshold of her old house once again, emotionally and physically exhausted after spending all day with her aunt. She looked at her phone, smiling when she saw a picture of Bones, Ellie, Kenny, and Jazzy in her text messages. They were at the airport, waiting for their flights back to California. With the last minute change, Kenny and Jasmine weren't able to get on the same plane as the other two which meant Ellie and Bones would have to wait at the Oakland airport for the other couple's plane to land so they could all go home together. She'd offered to drive them all, but they'd insisted they'd be fine. She just wanted them to get there soon; Charming wasn't the same without her Scooby Gang.

Ringing the doorbell, she couldn't help but smile at the sound of little feet running toward the front door. Hopefully, Evie's day with her _Abuela_ had gone well, and she was running towards the door because she was excited to tell her all about it. The door opened, and to her surprise, it wasn't Evie standing behind it; it was a little blonde boy with bright blue eyes. The spitting image of a mini Jax Teller. Those baby blues lit up when he saw her, a huge smile spreading across his little face. She grinned back at him, squatting so she was level with him. "Hey Abie-baby, you remember me?"

He smiled at her and nodded. "Hi Auntie Gee," he replied, almost shyly.

"You grew up on me, little man," she told him, ruffling his hair. Yes, his father had been responsible for Juice having to leave Charming, but he was also Tara's son, and she'd told her friend she'd look out for him as best she could. She'd forgotten that promise along the way, but now that she was in Charming, she swore she'd be better about checking in on the younger Tellers like she'd told Tara she would. "How you doin', kiddo? Havin' fun with Wendy and Nero?"

"Yeah!" he said, grabbing her hand and holding it as they walked into the house. "I go to school now and...and...play at the ranch with Nero's animals."

"Oh yeah? Are you doin' well at school?" she asked, squeezing his little hand.

He nodded exaggeratedly in response. "I'm gonna be a doctor."

"Like his Mom, huh, Abel?" Nero put in with a grin as he walked into the living room from the kitchen. "Abel's a good boy. Watches out for his brother, keeps him in line. Don't you, _mijo_?"

Abel nodded again, letting go of Angela's hand when Graciela called him from the kitchen. She watched him leave with an eyebrow raised, glancing at Nero curiously. Nero shrugged a shoulder, his hands sliding into his pockets. "He likes helpin' your Ma cook. Tommy don't got the patience for it."

Angela couldn't believe her mother let him anywhere near the kitchen while she was cooking. Hell, she was shocked she was even cooking! It was rare that she cooked a meal when she was growing up, much less allowed her to help. "Surprised _she_ has the patience," she muttered more to herself than to him. "Where's my baby girl?"

"Playing with Thomas in her room," he answered, chuckling soft. "Those two have been playing all day."

She wondered if Juice would be okay with Evie and Thomas playing together. Thomas was only four years old, after all, and he'd barely known his father; it wasn't fair to judge him because of his asshole dad. "Good. I'm glad she's having fun. She's got two older _primos_ , so she's used to messing around with boys." ( _cousins_ )

"I can tell. She don't let 'em boss her around," he told with a hint of pride. "How you doin' after seein' your Aunt? Know that wasn't easy for ya."

The question made her feel guilty as hell for some reason. She'd treated him like shit before she'd left that morning. All but spat in his face, and yet here he was asking if she was okay. She wanted to hate him for dating her mom, but she couldn't, not when he looked so honestly concerned about her. "I'm fine, thanks. It was nice to see her," she replied, twisting at her ring. "Can I…can I talk to you in private for a sec? Know my Ma's nosy ass is listenin' here."

"Hey!" Graciela exclaimed indignantly.

Nero chuckled again, shaking his head at her. "How 'bout I show you your Ma's garden out back?" he asked, gesturing to the back door.

She headed in that direction, opening the sliding door and taking a deep breath as she stepped outside. The hammock was still there, swaying in the breeze making her smile. She couldn't count how many nights she and Juice had spent swinging on that hammock together, talking about life, staring up at the stars. The sight of it made her miss him even more. Looking away, she surveyed the rest of the backyard. There was a neat little vegetable garden in the corner. Even in the fading daylight, she could see the large red tomatoes. "Wow. These tomatoes could rival Vivica's."

"Yeah, your Ma and the boys spend a lot of time out here," he said with a warm smile. "She's real good with 'em. Think it's 'cause she misses her real grandkids."

Angela crossed her arms over her chest, sighing softly. "It'd be nice to be closer, but…"

"Juice is dead here. Your Ma told me all about it," he admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Don't worry, I won't say anythin' to the Sons. Think it was a real honorable thing your _primo_ did, lettin' him go like that."

"Yeah," she answered with a light laugh. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed heavily. "Look, the way I treated you before was awful. There's just a lot a shit goin' on and you bein' here threw me for a loop."

Nero gave her an understanding smile as he nodded. " 's all good. I get it. This shit is overwhelming," he told her, stepping a little closer. "You know, I like your Ma a lot. My son was in 'n' outta St. Thomas for a while, and she was his nurse. She took care of him every step of the way. Always made sure he was comfortable and happy. Made sure I took care a myself too."

"She's a great nurse," she agreed on a nod. Because she was a great nurse. She'd been told that time and time again. Her Mom was great at taking care of other people. It was her own daughter that used to get kicked to the wayside. She swallowed back her bitterness. It was in the past now. Nothing she could change about it. "How's your kid?"

"We uh…lost him a year ago. Got some bad infection and couldn't shake it," he said, frowning down at his feet.

Angela felt her heart sink. She couldn't imagine the pain that came with losing a child. "I'm so sorry, Nero."

He nodded slowly. "Thanks. Your Ma helped me through that too. She's a great lady. I see where you got a lot of your strength."

"Uh-huh," she replied, choosing not to tell him it was Elena and Happy who'd taught her to be strong. She hesitated a moment before clearing her throat. "Look, it's taken my Ma a really, _really_ long time to get over my Dad, and she seems happy with you and I haven't seen her this happy in...well...ever, so please, if this is a rebound from Gemma or whatever..."

"It's not," he interjected quickly, holding his hands up to stop her rambling. "Gemma was a long time ago, _nena._ This thing I got goin' with your Ma is legit, _te lo juro_. Wasn't easy to get her to let me in. Your Dad must've been one hell of a man." ( _I promise you)_

Angela smiled softly, hugging herself a little as she looked up at the stars in the sky. Her Dad had been the best man she'd ever met, and though he died when she was three, she still felt that loss. Still wondered what her life would've been like if he was still around. "He was, and he'd want her to be happy, and I…I want her to be happy so…please, just…make her happy. She's nicer when she's happy."

Nero tilted his head to the side, a curious look in his eyes. "You and your Moms...you ain't too close, huh? She says you uh...you talk to Elena more. That's where she gets her _chisme_ from, _sabias_?" ( _gossip...did you know?)_

She laughed lightly, shrugging a shoulder. "Lena raised me while my Mom worked. That's just how it was. I'm workin' on things with my Mom, though. Been a lot better since Juice came into the picture actually," she said with a smile. "Think I made her lifelong dreams come true when I finally got married and had a baby."

He chuckled, nudging her with his arm gently. "Achieved every Latina Ma's dream, huh?"

"Yeah, somethin' like that," she replied with a smirk. "So this thing with Thomas and Abel...how does it work? I know I should've kept tabs on them, but its hard to reach out back to Charming. Always felt like it'd try to pull me in again or something."

" 's all good, Mama. Seems like you got pulled in anyway," he said on a chuckle. "They boys are good. Wendy took over Gemma's old house since she left it to the boys. Didn't think it was right to take Tara's. Too much history there. That one got sold. College money for the boys. Wendy takes Abel to school, Tommy to the hospital with her for day care. I pick 'em up when I'm done at Diosa. Either take 'em back to her place or bring 'em here depending on what your Ma's doin'. Abel's doin' a little therapy _pero_ they're both stable. Happy for the most part."

Angela felt relieved to hear Abel was getting some help. She knew if Gemma were still around the poor boy would be going through everything without getting the help he definitely needed. He'd been through a lot in his six years and needed someone to help him through it. "Good."

"Your little girl...she's the sweetest thing. Takes a minute to warm up _pero_ once she does...she's all love. That innocence, that...that sweetness," he stated, shaking his head with a big grin. "That's one lucky girl you got there. She's bein' raised right."

She smiled, shrugging a shoulder. She was grateful for how innocent Evie was. It just went to show how much safer their living situation was in Texas than it had been in Charming. "You suckin' up to me, Nero?" she asked around laugh. " 'cause its real lame."

He chuckled, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a side hug. "Little bit, Mama. Little bit. Gotta get in good with my woman's little girl, _que no_?"

Angela laughed, rolling her eyes at him as they walked back towards the house. "That is so weird."

* * *

Chloe could feel the nerves radiating off of Happy in waves as she clung to him on the back of his Dyna. They were headed to Graciela's house for a family dinner, which wasn't a totally crazy thing. Why was he so nervous? He pulled to a stop, holding the bike stable so she could get off before gracefully getting off himself. Everything the man did was graceful, though she'd never tell him that. He moved with a stealth and a confidence that she loved...well, except when he crept up behind her and scared the shit out of her. That she could do without. He slid his cut off his shoulders smoothly while opening his saddlebag. The only time she'd ever seen Hap take off his cut was before he went to sleep. It was strange to see him without it now. "No cut?" she asked curiously.

"No cuts in front of the brat," he explained, gingerly putting it inside, closing, and locking it.

She nodded slowly. It made sense that Angie wanted all things SAMCRO related far away from Evie, but it still didn't explain why he was fidgeting nervously with his rings. "Right. But why are you so nervous? Thought you were over the Nero thing?"

He cracked his knuckles, his jaw tightening a bit. He'd almost knocked Nero flat on his ass when he'd found out he was dating Graciela. Luckily, Tig had been there to hold him back or else Nero would've wound up in a hospital bed. "He's fine," he answered, approaching the door.

She looked over at him, contemplating. If it wasn't Nero, then it had to be Angela or… "Are you nervous about Evie?" she asked, stopping him before he could put the keys in the door. He looked guilty for a brief moment, and she found the urge to laugh. Instead, she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "She's gonna love you. Trust me."

Happy shrugged a shoulder. "She's not gonna even know me."

"Don't be stupid. Of course, she will. She's Ang's kid. She'll know you right away. Promise," she assured him.

"Hope so," he muttered, turning the key in the door and letting her walk in before him.

Chloe smiled when she saw Evie playing with a baby doll on the living room floor, Angela on the couch watching over them while her fingers typed rapidly on her phone. The smirk on her face and the flush in her cheeks told Chloe she was more likely than not sexting Juice. She looked up from her phone when she saw them walk in and reached out a hand to stroke over Evie's head. "Evie-doll, look who's here!"

Evie lifted her head, her eyes lighting up when they fell on Happy. " _Tio_ Happy!" she exclaimed, throwing down her doll and skipping towards him. She stopped right at his feet, tilting her head all the way back to look up at him, a look of awe in her pretty brown eyes. "You remember me?" ( _Uncle)_

If the Tacoma Killer was capable of melting, he would've just then. Instead, his eyes grew warm as he crouched down in front of her, his tattooed hand mussing her soft hair. " 'course I remember you, brat," he told her with a smile. "Lot bigger now, though."

Much to his surprise, the little girl smiled and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Happy hugged her back, using his hold on her to lift her off the ground and set her on his hip. "I heard lots about you, Tio. Mama says you did her tattoos!"

"I did," he answered, looking over at Angela with a smirk.

"They're really pretty, Hap. You do mine one day too?" she asked, already marveling at the ink on his arm. "You got a lot more than Daddy. And they have pretty colors. Daddy doesn't have pretty colors. Daddy's got skulls and a box and a scary mask and Mama's name but you got a lots of pretty designs."

Chloe sat down on the couch next to Angela while Happy patiently listened to Evie's rambling. Though he wasn't outwardly smiling or laughing, there was a sense of calm and contentment radiating off of Happy as he listened to his niece. It didn't bother her that Evie didn't notice her; she saw Evie all the time over Face Time and talked to her on the phone. She wasn't as exciting as meeting her mythical _Tio_ Happy. "He was worried Evie wouldn't know him," she told Angela. The other woman didn't answer, she was totally engrossed in her phone. With a roll of her eyes, Chloe grabbed it out of her hands to get her attention. " 'ey! You listenin' to me?"

"Chloe!" Angela shouted, scrambling to get it back.

She held her off, scrolling through the text messages and feeling her cheeks heat up at the content. "Holy shit, Ang! These are...insanely dirty," she muttered, the texts in front of her could've made Happy blush. "You two have quite a way with words...and emojiis."

She smirked, grabbing it out of her hands. "Hey, after numerous runs and a whole year in county, you get _really_ good at long distance sex," she stated on a laugh. "Phone sex, sexting, letters, we've done it all."

"Snail mail sex, huh?"

"Yeah. I'd basically find the dirtiest passages from romance novels and switch it up a bit. Put our names in there. He liked it," she elaborated with a shrug. "Doing anything else while he was locked away was too creepy. Phone calls are monitored and there's no conjugal visits unless you're married and even then, I heard the guards watch. Its...gross. So yeah, snail mail sex. Lots of it."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Did he write naughty letters back?"

"Yeah, but he's more creative than I am," she admitted, smiling as her phone buzzed in her hand.

"You're sexting while your daughter was playing right in front of you," she stated in disbelief. "Isn't that awkward for you?"

Angela looked up from her phone to Evie and shrugged again. "How do you think she was made?"

Chloe scoffed, shaking her head at her friend. "You two really have no shame, do you?"

"Nope!" she agreed around a laugh. She put her phone down for a brief moment, her eyes falling on Happy and Evie, a warm smile spreading across her face. "She's been waiting to see him for a really long time."

"Think the feeling's mutual. He was nervous she wouldn't recognize him."

She snorted derisively, rolling her eyes. "We show her pictures, tell her stories...well, the appropriate ones. She knows him. Juice is really into having her know how big a family she's got, how many people love her. Think its because he never wants her to feel alone like he sometimes did growing up," she mused with a small, loved-filled smile.

Chloe could remember the first time she'd seen Angela and Juice together. Juice had been laid up in the hospital bed after a stabbing incident in county, and Angela had gone to visit him. The first time she'd stop by the room, she'd found them making out like teenagers, her hand on his crotch, his hand underneath her shirt. She'd written Angela off as one of the club's girls until she'd walked in again to find them talking to each other, laughing like they were the best of friends. The way he looked at her had made Chloe stop at the door. It'd brought back memories of her dead fiancee, of the good times they'd had together. Chloe had seen them together many times after, and that look in his eyes never faded. The love they had for her had always so obvious it was almost tangible. It was disgusting. "You two are still crazy in love, huh?"

"Who?" she asked, deeply immersed in her texts again.

"You and Juice?"

She looked up from her phone and smiled again. "Of course. Fall more and more in love with him every day."

"Gross," Chloe said, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

Angela shrugged a shoulder in response. "You know what's gross? Nero and my Mom," she asked and answered all in one breath. "Could've used a heads up about that one, best friend."

"That's Graci's business, not mine. You talk to her. I figured she told you," she explained, easily. She knew Angela would have a problem with it, but it really wasn't any of her business. Graci and Angela's relationship was already so crazy, she hadn't want to get in the middle of it. "I'm going to go see my goddaughter because she's cute as hell and I want to get as much time as I can in with that little Monkey."

She rolled her eyes at her, waving her away. "Yeah, yeah, dodge the subject. Go 'head. Let me sext in peace."

Chloe leaned over and ruffled her hair. " 's good to have you back, kid," she told her as she stood, ignoring the scowl on Angela's face. She wandered back to Evie's room, knowing that was where Happy had disappeared to. She leaned against the doorjamb, peeking into the lilac painted room and drinking in the sight before her. Happy was sitting on the ground with Evie between his legs, a sketch pad spread on his knees, crayons at their side. He was making outlines for her in all black marker while she colored in the designs, not bothering to stay in the lines. Evie was talking up a storm while he quietly nodded along, his cheek pressed against her head as he worked. Chloe snapped a quick picture on her phone for posterity. "Whatcha colorin'?" she asked, catching their attention.

Evie looked up first, smiling at Chloe. "Hi Aunt Coco! _Tio_ 's drawin' me mermaids and fishies! He's a good drawler. Better than Daddy and Daddy's really good."

Happy smirked proudly as he moved the pad from in front of her. "Go say hi to your aunt, brat."

The little girl didn't move, just looked up and waved a little hand, still distracted by the pretty drawings in front of her. "Hi Coco!"

"Brat," he warned, pushing her gently, but Evie didn't budge. He smirked, running his hand over her head. "Stubborn like her Ma."

Chloe chuckled, plopping down on the ground next to him. She leaned over and kiss her cheek. "Good to see you, lil' mermaid. You havin' fun with your Uncle Hap?"

"Uh-huh!" Evie smiled at her, leaning back against Happy's chest and tapping his arm. "Draw more, Hap!"

Happy rolled his eyes at her but pulled the pad towards him. "Demandin' little brat, aren'tcha?" he stated around a chuckle.

"Auntie Jojo says brat is not a nice name, but Mama said when _Tio_ says it, it means he loves me," she explained to Chloe before tilting her head back to look at Happy. "Right, _Tio_?"

"Yeah, brat," he agreed with the smallest hint of a smile. "Love you a lot."

Evie grinned like she'd won a gold medal, Juice's smile with Angela's dark, expressive eyes. "I love you too, _Tio_."

Chloe fought the urge to lean over and kiss him then. She'd seen him play with Thomas and Abel before but this was different. His blood flowed through Evie's veins creating a special bond between them that was deeper than his bond with the Teller boys would ever be. Seeing him with Evie was like getting a peek into how he'd been with Angela, and she was loving that little peek into his past. She could feel herself falling just a little more in love with him as she saw this side of him. Biting the inside of her cheek, she resisted saying those three little words again, keeping them inside. His dark eyes met hers, the smallest hint of a smile turned up the corner of his lips as if he sensed her thoughts. He set his free hand on her thigh, squeezing it lovingly as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Brat," he called her, his voice a low whisper in her ear, the simple word carrying more weight than it ever had after Evie's little explanation.

* * *

Juice tapped his fingers on the side of his laptop nervously while he waited for the video chat to connect. He was exhausted from a long day at work, but he wanted to see his girls before he went to sleep. He'd spent the last two years seeing them at least once before he went to sleep and couldn't fathom not seeing them before bed this time. He needed to see them. Needed to know they were there, that they were okay. He ran his hand over Rigor's head, smiling when he move in closer, setting his head on his lap. "Yeah, soak up being on the bed, you big baby," he murmured, leaning over to kiss the dog's head. "Know Mama lets you do it all the time. I need some company too. Miss them just as much as you, dude."

"We miss you, too, goof," Angela's voice replied around a laugh.

He looked up at the screen; he hadn't noticed it had connected. A wave of relief washed over him at the sight of her smiling face, and he couldn't help but smile back. "Hey baby. You have no idea how good it is to see you."

"Feel the same way," she replied, looking a little relieved herself. He had no idea where she was, but he was grateful to see she was alone. Meant he could talk to her a little more freely. "How are you? How was your day?"

Juice knew she was asking him before he got the chance to ask her which meant it hadn't gone as well as she wanted. "Normal. Went for a run, went to work, read your texts, took a cold ass shower," he described knowing it would make her laugh, "went for another run, took _another_ cold shower, was forced to have dinner at Jo's since she's worried about me bein' alone."

"Good. 'm worried too," she admitted on a frown.

"Don't be. I'm fine, baby," he insisted around a laugh. He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "Speaking of cold showers, where you at, baby?"

She panned the camera around the room and his heart almost stopped in his chest at the sight of the white design on the wall. His tattoos facing each other, connected with a heart, a halo over it. It looked the exact same as the last time he'd seen it. The same night he'd tried to OD in front of Evie's crib because he had wanted to end it all so he wouldn't hurt his family anymore. Thinking about it now was strange. It felt like a completely different life than the one he was living now. "Holy shit," he breathed, feeling a strange tightness in his chest. "Your Ma didn't…"

"No," she answered, shaking her head. "Didn't change a thing about Eve's room. As for ours…I'm scared to look, to be honest. But everything else is the exact same. Same couches, same everything, and Evie's got toys galore! I swear to God, my Ma bought the whole store for her! Evie's having the time of her life here! And guess who she's dating?"

He blinked at her, trying to process the rush of words she'd just thrown at him. It sounded like she was saying Evie was dating, but that couldn't be. There was no way. "She's only three! Who the fuck could she be dating?" he exclaimed, trying to figure out what the hell Angela was talking about.

Angela gave him a confused look before laughing. "No, not Eves...though she and Thomas Teller seem to be getting along real well. Still, no wedding bells yet. I was talking about my Mom, goof."

Juice clenched his teeth, hating the mention of Jax Teller's son in association with his daughter. No way in hell would he ever let that happen. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me."

She frowned slightly, clearly aware that he wasn't happy about Evie's new friend. "Yeah. 'm sorry, Juice. I had no idea that my Ma takes care of the Teller boys sometimes since she's dating Nero."

"What?" he asked, fighting a laugh. "Nero _Padilla_? The pimp?"

"Yeah! Can you believe it?" she exclaimed in disbelief, raking a hand through her hair. "I walk into our house and who do I find in my kitchen? Fuckin' Nero Padilla in his stupid sweater vest drinking tea because he and my mom are a thing! Which is totally bizarre! My Mom doesn't date! She hasn't dated since my Dad died! And then Chloe had me hauling ass over here because she was worried about Hap, but he's _fine_! And Elena's stuck in the hospital for the foreseeable future, but she seems to be okay too! Adding to that, Lino knocked up the spawn of Satan and wants me to forgive her for all the shit she put me through in high school which is bullshit. I'm sorry, but I was nothing but nice to that _loca_. And Evie's here loving every minute of seeing her crazy ass family meanwhile I'm in hell missin' you and being stuck in Esai's old room. Its crazy, Juice. Absolutely insane."

Juice blinked at her, watching as she breathed hard from her rant. He fought back a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand to try to hide it, but she caught it and scowled. "Don't you laugh at me, Juan Carlos Ortiz," she said, pointing a finger at the camera. But he couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. She glared at him for a moment before she started laughing with him, the camera shaking as she did so. She shook her head at him as her laughter calmed. "Asshole."

"Love you," he reminded her, blowing a kiss her way. "Everything else okay?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah. 'cept I think I caught some kind of stomach bug on the airplane," she admitted, wrinkling her nose. "Been feeling sick all day. Either that or I'm developing one hell of an ulcer."

That wiped the smile away from his face real fast. He didn't like the idea of being so far away from her when she was sick. Angela was always so busy putting everyone before her, she often didn't take care of herself. That was his job. Whenever she got sick, it was him that made her rest or go to the doctor or take medicine. How was she going to handle it without him there? "You should go to the doctor, baby. An ulcer isn't good."

"Nah, I'm all right. Its probably just a bug. Don't worry about it," she brushed it off. "You at home?"

He nodded, looking around at his perfectly pristine bedroom. Not a thing was out of place in the entire house since he'd spent hours stress cleaning it after Jo finally let him go home. "Yeah. Scrubbed the place clean."

That worry wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows. She knew him too well to believe he just felt like cleaning. He didn't want to get into it, though. How could he not be stressed and worried when his whole family was in a different state? "Your hands okay?" she asked, skirting the real issue.

Juice was thankful she'd asked about his hands instead of asking if he was okay again. He wasn't okay. Neither was she. It was something both of them had to accept. Looking down, he frowned at his dry and chapped hands. She'd told him time and time again to wear gloves when he used cleaning chemicals, but he couldn't find them this time. He held one up to the camera, wiggling his fingers at her. "Fine. Nice and rough just like you like 'em."

"Mmm. I miss those hands," she practically purred, that lustful look he was so familiar with filling her dark eyes. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed as he started to get a little hard. God, he missed her.

"Miss yours too. All graceful and pretty," he murmured, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. The mere mention of her hands had him starting to get hard as his mind went to the many times she'd had her hands all over his body. He loved those hands and the way they'd made him feel. He bit his lip, wishing he could touch her through the screen. "Miss _all_ of you, Angel."

Angela smirked, looking towards the door. "Don't start with me, Juan Carlos," she murmured, her low voice sending shivers down his spine. She looked somewhere off screen with a frown. "The door doesn't lock."

Juice chuckled, letting out a long breath. They'd taken the lock off of Evie's door before she was even born, both of them scared she'd lock herself in either on accident or on purpose. "Damn," he sighed, shaking his head. "Think you can get away later?"

"I'll make it happen," she promised with a wink. He heard the door open, and a huge smile spread across her face as she gasped in mock surprise. "Look who's here!"

"Mama!" Evie's excited exclamation made him smile. He sorely missed having his little girl running around the house. It was incredibly too quiet without her laughter.

"Brat was askin' for ya," a gravelly voice replied making Juice griace. The last time he'd heard Hap's voice had been when he'd had a gun pointed at him while he was telling him to leave. He was thankful Hap had decided to save him, but he'd scared the shit out of him first.

Juice swallowed hard, thankful Angela was wearing earphones so Hap couldn't hear him. "He mad at me?"

She shrugged a shoulder discreetly, her eyes still on Hap as she reached for Evie. The Tacoma Killer was no fool, though. "That the idiot?" he asked, still off camera.

"Yeah," she answered simply. "Want to say hi?"

Juice held his breath as he waited for his reply. It was a quick 'no', which is he was thankful for; he wasn't sure what they'd say to each other. He smirked when he came up with something. "Hey. Tell him to take care a my girls," he requested, knowing Happy couldn't reach out to choke him through the screen.

"He says to take care of us," she told Hap on a smirk.

"Tell the idiot to shut up," came Happy's response.

"Daddy!" Evie shouted as if it was the best news she'd heard all day. He heard the sound of little feet before he saw her cute little face as she plopped herself down into Angela's lap, reaching for the phone. Angela laughed, taking out her headphones and unplugging them so they could hear him. She carefully kept the phone out of Evie's reach, softly telling her not to touch in Spanish. Evie stopped reaching and sat calmly. Juice leaned in to the camera, Rigor perking up at his side and sitting up next to him. The little girl's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Hi Daddy! Hi Riggy! Daddy, _Tio_ drawed me mermaids! He a good drawer!"

Juice grinned at his little girl; her excitement was contagious. "That's awesome, Monk! Are you having a good time over there?"

"Yeah, Daddy! I made new friends! Abel and Tommy and they're _so_ nice!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands. "And we played all day!"

Juice listened to her ramble on just like her mother had, all the while Angela sat behind her, playing with her pigtails, helping her when she got stuck on a word or when she asked questions. It was like they were back at home, and she was telling him about her day at day care only instead, she was telling him about how much fun she'd had with Thomas. An unsettling idea; he didn't want anything starting between those two no matter how little they were. What made things worse was the way she gushed about Happy as if he was her favorite person in the whole world. He frowned a little. "Daddy still your number one guy?"

He didn't miss Angela's smirk, despite the way she tried to his it by dropping a kiss to Evie's head. Evie's dark eyes grew wide as she nodded emphatically. "Yes, Daddy! I love you the mostest! You number one and Kendo one too and Hap two! And Tommy three! Right, Mama?" she asked around a yawn.

Angela's soft laughter made him smile. "Yeah, baby girl," she murmured, running a hand over her daughter's head. "Think its time to head back to _Abuela_ Dia's. Get some sleep in."

" _No_ ," the little girl whined in response. "No! I'm not tired! I want to show Daddy Abuela Graci's house and all my toys! _Please,_ Mama!"

"We'll show him tomorrow, Eves," Angela assured her, just the smallest hint of authority in her voice. She'd always been better at telling Evie 'no' than he was. He usually gave in after a few minutes. "Give Daddy _besos_ , _mi amor_. We gotta go." ( _kisses, my love)_

"No! I wanna talk to Daddy!" she insisted, fat tears sliding down her cheeks. "I want Daddy!"

Juice felt like his heart was breaking in two as she started to cry. "C'mon Monk. Don't cry, baby girl. You gotta be good for Mama. You promised, remember?"

Evie shook her head, reaching for the phone. "No! Daddy, please! I dont' wanna go to sleep! I wanna stay 'n' talk with you! I miss you!"

"I know, Monk. I miss you too, but I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Love you so much, Eves. Please don't cry," he urged, trying his best to soothe her. He knew Angela was being patient, letting him try without cutting him off. He was thankful she was letting him be a part of it and not shutting him out. "You gotta go to sleep, okay? That way you can have good dreams."

"Yeah, Evie," Angela agreed, her voice soft and soothing. "We gotta go to bed so we can have more fun tomorrow and tell Daddy all about it."

She calmed down considerably, sniffling as she wiped at her eyes. "Pwomise, Daddy?"

Juice smiled, thankful she'd calmed down. If he and Angela had been in the same room, they would've discreetly bumped their fists against each other as they usually did when their teamwork paid off. "Of course. I'll be waiting by my phone all day to hear from ya."

"Okay," she replied, smiling a bit. "Love you, Daddy."

"Love you too, Monk. _Besos, monito_ ," he replied, blowing her a kiss. ( _kisses, little monkey)_

She sniffled, blowing a kiss back. " _Besos_ , Daddy. Love you."

Angela kissed her cheek softly. "How 'bout you go say goodnight to _Abuela_ and the rest of 'em? Let Mama say goodnight to Daddy."

Evie nodded, kissing her Mama's cheek before toddling off the screen. Angela let out a long breath, shaking her head at him. "Well that was...awful."

Juice sighed, running a hand over his face. His heart still aching from seeing his baby girl cry. "Yeah. This fuckin' sucks," he agreed on a frown.

He could see the guilt in her eyes and felt terrible. She was going through a hard time, and she wasn't making it any easier. "I'm sorry, Juice. She's about to crash, so she's cranky. Next time we'll call you when she's actually awake and happy."

He shrugged a shoulder, letting out a long breath. " 's fine. Just happy to see my girls."

Her eyes grew warm, giving him butterflies. "I love you," she said, her voice soft and sweet. "Have I said that enough? I love you so much."

He loved hearing her say those three words. They were a confirmation that she was his, that everything he'd dreamed of had come true. She was his everything, and when she told him she loved him, he knew she felt the same way. It was further confirmation that despite all the shit he'd done in his life, he had to have done something right to get her. "Never gets old," he answered on a smile. "Love hearing you say it."

"Goof," she replied around a warm laugh. "Want to see something pretty?"

"Show me, Mama," he replied, leaning forward eagerly. Angela gave him a wicked grin, tugging down the neckline of her shirt to reveal a very pretty purple bra that complimented her skin tone just right. He groaned at the sight of it, feeling his boxer briefs get just a little tighter. "Very pretty, ya tease. You're killin' me over here."

Angela laughed, blowing him a kiss. "Sweet dreams, Juan Carlos."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. 'bout to go take another cold shower," he muttered, smirking at her. "Good night, my Angel."

She rolled her eyes at his cheesiness. "Good night, goof."

* * *

Kenny couldn't stop his leg from shaking nervously as he sat next to Jazzy in the airplane terminal, waiting to board their flight from Los Angeles to Oakland. His stomach was in knots at the prospect of taking his girlfriend back to Charming, at going back there to say goodbye to Elena. Through the years, he'd grown attached to her, started to see her as a grandmother, and he wasn't ready to lose another family member. Not when he'd lost so many already. Jazzy appeared in front of him, two white coffee cups in her hands. He reached for one of them, but she held it away and gave him the other one. "Tea. Because you need to calm down a bit," she told him, sitting down next to him. She leaned her head against his shoulder as she put her coffee cup to her lips.

He tugged at his beanie, hiding a smile as he sipped on his tea. "It's not you," he told her, squeezing her thigh. "I swear its not."

He could feel her smirk against his shoulder. "It is, in part," she said around a sigh. " 'm not stupid, Ken. You're taking me back to where you grew up. Lots of history there."

"You have no idea," he stated around a sigh. He messed with his ring, the big one Ellie had given him that had once been his biological father's. It hit him then that he'd never told Jazzy that he was adopted. It'd never come up, and she'd never asked. They'd just come from a week with Ellie and Bones, and she'd never asked why Ellie was his sister but had a different last name. Had she not noticed? Or did she not care? He hoped it was the former. "Jay and Ang...they're biological parents. I'm adopted."

Jazzy lifter her head from his shoulder, grabbing his hand. "I had a feeling," she replied with a smirk. At his look of surprise, she shrugged. "Well, at first I thought you were just Ang's son, like she had you when she was really young and Jay adopted you and then they had Evie. Then I met Ellie, and she's got a different last name and looks nothing like Ang or Jay. So I figured you might be half-siblings too, but on your dad's side or something. So I kind of just...stuck with that."

He stared at her in wonder. God, she was smart. He liked her so much it scared him. "But...you never asked."

"Does it matter?" she asked, her brows furrowed a bit. "They're your parents now, and I see a lot of Jay and Ang in the way you are, the way you act. Seems like they've had a good effect on you, birth parents or not."

He couldn't help but smile at that. He'd grown a lot in the two years he'd lived with his new parents. It was nice to live in a safe, stable place, surrounded by family and filled to the brim with love. Without the weight of the club's reputation on his shoulders, he was finally able to make friends, join sports teams, and just act his age. "Thanks," he replied, feeling his cheeks flush a bit. "But since you're walking right into my past, you should know that my Moms and Pops were both brutally murdered and the woman my Pops married after that is a porn star...or _was_ a porn star. She just produces and directs them now."

To her credit, Jazzy didn't laugh or question him. She just nodded her head. "That's cool, I guess."

"That's a nice way to put it." Kenny looked down at his ring and sighed softly. "All happened 'cause my Grandpa founded this stupid motorcycle club that my Pops was also a part of."

"What happened to your Grandpa?"

"Murdered," he replied quickly.

Jazzy stared at him in disbelief. "Holy cow, Ken."

"Yeah. Ang took me and El under her wing a little. Made sure we got out, that we had some fun. So when the shit hit the fan and Ang wanted out of Charming, I asked her to take me with her. To adopt me," he explained with a shrug. "I wanted a new start too."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You're lucky," she told him, kissing his cheek. At his doubtful look, she squeezed his hand again. "Hear me out. All that stuff that happened to you could've made you hard and bitter and just...awful, but it didn't. You're the nicest, kindest guy I've ever met. That whole thing could've broken you, but it just made you stronger. You got a brand new start, and you're so lucky because of that."

He stared at her in wonder, surprised by her whole little speech. He knew she was right, but he just hadn't seen it coming. Leaning over, he caught her lips in a quick kiss. "You're somethin' else, Jazz."

She grinned at him and shrugged a shoulder. "Just tellin' you what I see." Sitting back in her chair, she took another long sip of coffee. "Now, is there anything else I should know?"

"Jay is...Juice. I mean, they'll all be calling him Juice over there, and he's kind of...supposed to be...dead."

"Shut up. Are you serious?" she asked, her hazel eyes wide.

He nodded, smirking a bit. "Yeah, that uh...motorcycle club I was telling you about? They were supposed to kill him but my Uncle Hap and Uncle Tig kinda...let him go free."

"Okay, that's...insane," she said, shaking her head. "What kind of place is Charming anyway?"

Kenny shrugged a shoulder, thinking about the little town he'd spent most of his life in. It was funny how normal Charming looked without factoring SAMCRO. "Charming is...this small ass town in the middle of nowhere. If it wasn't for the club, it'd be a totally normal, totally boring place. No big cities or big chains. Just little locally owned stores and everyone knows everyone. The memories are what make it hell to me, but you'll probably like it."

"Hmm," she hummed pensively. "Well, I want a big Kenny Ortiz tour when we get there. I want the funeral home and meet the rest of your family...everything."

"The rest of my family," he repeated on a laugh. "Gonna be talking to a lot of headstones, Jazz."

A sad look filled her eyes before she shrugged. "That's fine. Puts less pressure on me," she told him with a smile. "You know I'm no good with small talk anyway."

He chuckled, shaking his head at her. She was perfect. He'd always thought so. So smart and sweet and kind. Always ready with a joke or a snarky remark to make him laugh. He loved her so much it scared him; everyone he loved ended up hurt in some way besides his sisters. Evie was too little to remember the craziness, and he didn't know how Ellie managed to make it out of everything unscathed and without being traumatized by staying in Charming after everything went down. He admired her strength. A strength he hadn't had. He'd hightailed it out of there the first chance he got and never looked back. Strangely enough, Ellie always said there was strength in leaving like he did, said she thought it was brave of him to leave everything he knew and loved. Jasmine had just called him strong too. Maybe it was time he started believing them. "I love you, you know that right?" he told her, saying the words he'd often heard Juice and Angela exchanging.

Jazzy's smile widened, making her eyes sparkle. "You say that more than my parents ever have. I have never felt more loved than I do when I'm with you. Did you know that?"

Kenny couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. "I do now."

* * *

 **:)**

 **A bit of a filler...ish. Setting up ground work. Big stuff is coming, I swear. ;)**

 **If you like it, let me know! I would love to hear from y'all! Your reviews are what keep me writing!**

 **~Love Ink**


	5. You Should Be Here

**Sorry it took me so long to update! Life has been crazy as of late, but it calmed down a bit so I figured I'd post! :)**

 **Thank you to everyone for being patient with me! Thanks for all of your reviews! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _Sabria (_** _I didn't forget! Just got too busy! Thanks so much for your patience and kind wishes!), **Guest 1 (** Thanks! I love their little family dynamic, and I'm so glad it comes across well too!), **Guest 2(** Lyla will be showing up eventually! I didn't want to bombard everyone with meet ups! Just taking it easy! ;)), and **Guest 3.**_

 **The title comes from the Cole Swindell song of the same name. I just got to see him in concert and this song struck a chord. Check it out! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 5: You Should Be Here_

 _By Love Ink_

Angela was cursing whatever asshole had brought the stomach flu onto their plane as she knelt in front of the toilet, emptying he stomach into the bowl for what felt like the tenth time that night. She'd successfully avoided throwing up while tucking Evie into sleep with Tessa in her room, but once she sat down at the computer, ready to call Juice for some naughty Face Time, her stomach had turned on her. She'd sprinted across the hallway to the bathroom and had made it just in time.

Sitting back, she raked her fingers through her sweat soaked hair, sighing softly. "Fuck me," she muttered, staring up at the ceiling before closing her eyes as another wave of nausea hit. She'd been in this exact position before many times after long nights of partying with Esai. Dia would always hear her and open the door to give her some water and some painkillers.

" _Angelita_ ," Diana's soft voice prompted her to open her eyes.

She looked over at Dia with a small smile. "Right on time," she murmured weakly. "I swear, I'm not drunk, 's just some stomach bug."

Dia smiled warmly, kneeling beside her and rubbing her back. " _Ay mi amor, ya lo se_ ," she assured her. Leaning forward, she opened one of the cabinets underneath the sink and pulled out a little box. "I want you to try something." ( _Oh my love. I already know.)_

Angela's brows furrowed in confusion as she stared at the box in Dia's hand. A pregnancy test. "No, its not. I'm not…I never got sick like this with Evie," she insisted, shaking her head. "Its just the flu or somethin'."

"Every pregnancy is different, _mija_. With Esai, I was sick every day, my feet swelled up. Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong _con ese loco pero con Tessa_?" she trailed off, shrugging a shoulder. " _Nada_. Sometimes you just get lucky." ( _with that crazy, but with Tessa? Nothing)_

She shook her head stubbornly. No way was she pregnant. Not now. They'd been trying for over a year with no results. There was no way her luck was bad enough that she was finally pregnant and in _Charming_. "But I can't…not now, not _here_. This is all wrong. I'm just…just sick. That's all."

" _Por favor_ , just try it," Dia pleaded, holding the box out to her again. "If its positive, good, if not, better, you prove me wrong and _that's_ not an easy feat. Ask Marcus."

Angela laughed lightly, taking the box from her. "Dia, this test is new. Why the hell do you have it?"

"Do you know how many _pulgas_ come to me tellin' me a Mayan knocked them up? Always want Marcus to step in, make the boys take responsibility. I bring one of these out and they go runnin'. I buy Costco packs of these. Even keep one in my purse just in case," Diana explained with a smirk before leaning over to kiss Angela's temple. "This is different though. This is _good_. I'd love to have another grandbaby. So do it. _Ahora_." ( _fleas aka Maya sweetbutts...Now)_

She sighed, pulling herself to her feet and opening the box. "You gonna watch me pee?"

Dia laughed softly, shaking her head. " _Dime cuando 'stas lista._ " ( _Tell me when you're ready.)_

Angela nodded, opening up the package and pulling the little white stick out. Her stomach churned, the directions blurring in front of her eyes. "Shit," she murmured to herself, raking her fingers through her messy hair. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she took the test, setting it down on the counter and sitting on the closed toilet lid when she was done. Setting a timer on her phone, she stared at the numbers as they started to count down. Clearing her throat, she called Dia's name, not at all surprised when the door flew open; she'd had a feeling the woman had been standing there keeping guard.

Dia stroked her hand over Angela's hair, kissing the crown of her head. "This is a good thing, _mijita,_ " she reminded her.

"Just wish Juice was here," she murmured, feeling tears sting her eyes. They'd taken a few pregnancy tests during their two years in Texas. Each time, she'd take the test late at night after the kids were asleep. Juice would pace outside the bathroom door since she couldn't pee with him watching. After she was done, she'd sit between his legs on their big bed, watching the minutes tick by on his phone while the test results developed. He'd dot kisses across her shoulders, his hands roaming all over her body while he whispered how much he loved her in her ear as they waited. The negative results never fazed him, usually he would just laugh, playfully turn them over and then make love to her while he swore this time his 'magic penis' would do the trick. Angela yearned for him to be there now because, for the first time, she had a feeling this test would be positive. "This sucks."

Dia laughed, playing with her hair in a motherly fashion. "I know. I'm sorry, _mija_ , _pero_ you got a big family here to support you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I do," she said miserably, feeling like a whiny teenager. "But its not the same."

"I know," she murmured, kissing her head again. Angela went back to focusing on the timer, holding her breath. Dia quickly flipped the phone over so she couldn't see the numbers anymore. "Don't look at it! _Me 'stas poniendo nerviosa_." ( _You're making me nervous)_

" _You're_ nervous?" Angela repeated on a laugh. "Dia, what am I going to do if its positive? I can't tell Juice! He'll be on the next plane out here, and he can't..."

Diana cut her off quickly. " _Callate._ We'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay? No reason to worry now." ( _Shut up.)_

She bit her lip, twisting violently at her rings as he stomach churned. She needed a game plan, or she was going to go insane. Reaching out, she grabbed her phone just as the alarm went off. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Covering her eyes, she pushed the test toward Dia. "I can't look. You look."

The older woman laughed softly, taking the test. " _A ver._ Do you want me to tell you?"

"Yes. No. Wait. What is it?" she asked, peeking at Dia through her fingers. The older woman was looking back at her with an amused glint in her hazel eyes. "It's positive, isn't it?"

Dia chuckled, handing it to her and kissing her forehead again. "Congratulations, _Angelita_ ," she murmured, squeezing her shoulder before heading towards the door. "Call your husband. He should know."

She nodded absentmindedly, her eyes focused on the little oval on the white stick that read, ' _Pregnant'_ in bold letters. Grabbing her phone, she checked the time and was a little relieved to see how late it was. It was late in the night for her and even later for Juice. She had no doubt he'd answer if she called, but it was a great excuse not to call him. Eventually, she'd get around to it. She just had to figure out a way to make him stay in Texas first.

* * *

Angela smiled as she walked with Evie through the cemetery enjoying the early morning peaceful breeze. Evie had been inquisitive on the drive from Oakland to Charming, asking all about which of her famed 'uncles' she was going to meet, wondering if she was going to see Thomas again. Angela answered the questions with a smile, her daughter's excitement contagious. She was excited to show her daughter around the cemetery, though. Evie understood the concept of a cemetery as well as an almost three year old could. She knew all about her deceased relatives. Her grandfather, her great Uncle Chico, Aunt Tara, and Kozik. Angela made sure Evie knew them all and knew that they were watching out for her from heaven. She pointed out Tara's grave, smiling as Evie toddled toward it, running her finger over the engraved headstone. "Pretty flower, Mama," she said, looking back at her.

"She was a pretty person," Angela replied, running a hand over Evie's soft hair before squatting down next to her. "And smart too. She worked hard in school and became a Doctor. That's what matters most, Evie-doll. Brains over beauty. You're lucky, though, 'cause you got both."

Evie turned and smiled at her Mom, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Daddy says I'm smart 'n' pretty like you."

She laughed, picking her up as she stood. "Does he?" she asked in mock shock. Juice never stopped complimenting her; it didn't surprise her at all that he'd tell their daughter that. "Daddy is a smart man. Pretty too."

The little girl giggled, wrinkling her nose as she did so. "Mama, you silly! Daddy ham-some not pretty!"

"You're right. Daddy's very handsome," she said, feeling a pang in her heart as she thought of her husband's handsome face.

"We call him?"

Angela smiled; Evie was a Daddy's girl through and through. After the way they'd said goodbye last time they'd talked, she was shocked her daughter didn't fight to call him as soon as she woke up. "Tonight, baby girl. We'll call, and you can tell him all about today," she assured her as they approached Kozik's headstone. "But first, there's someone I want you to meet. Remember when I told you about your Uncle Kozi?"

"Uh-huh. He my guardian angel," Evie replied, nodding exaggeratedly. "He gave me Bully."

Angela smiled; Bully was the ugly bulldog dressed as a Marine that Kozik had won for her before she was even born. Evie loved the ugly thing, took it everywhere with her. "Yup, and he's buried right here," she explained, setting her down on the lush grass. "You can say 'hi' if you want."

Evie stared at it curiously before looking up at her mother. "He hears me, right?"

She swallowed down the lump in her throat. This was not how she wanted Evie to meet Kozik. He should've been there. He'd have been such an amazing Uncle; sweeping her off her feet and tickling her mercilessly while she screamed and laughed. She'd have absolutely adored him. "Yeah," she breathed, wiping at her eyes. "He hears you, he just can't talk back."

"Cause he in heaven?"

"Yeah, baby girl," she said before kissing her fingers and pressing them to the stone. She plopped down on to the ground in front of the stone and patting the grass next to her. Evie sat down in her lap instead; she was sought out cuddles and skin to skin contact just like her father. "Hey Koz."

"Hi Uncle Kozi," Evie greeted, waving at the stone. "Look, Mama! E-V!" she said pointing at the letters in Kozik's middle name. "My name!"

She chuckled, nodding her head slowly. "You're named after him. His middle name was Evan like yours is Evangeline."

"That's so cool, Mama!" she exclaimed, crawling towards the stone "Kozi, I have name like yours and I went on an airplane!"

Angela listened to her chatter, all the while keenly aware of a set of eyes on her back. After a moment, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at the crazy haired man behind her. He nodded to her, closing the distance between them and sitting down on the grass next to her. "Little chatterbox you got there. She know he's dead?" Tig asked her, bumping his shoulder against hers.

"He's in heaven. A captive audience," Angela replied with a warm smile. She leaned her head against his shoulder, sighing softly. "How you doin', Tiggy?"

He put his arm around her, squeezing slightly. "Can't complain," he answered, shrugging. "How you doin'?"

"Been better," she answered around a heavy sigh. The weight of her secret was wearing on her, but she knew telling Tig before her cousin would seriously hurt Hap. He'd been irked when she'd told Kozik first, and Koz had been family for a hell of a lot longer than Tig. "Crazy to be back here without him. Doesn't feel right."

Tig bobbed his head a bit, dropping his arm from her shoulders. "I get it. 's good you're here though. Know it'll do Elena some good to spend time with you and the little one. Can't believe how big she's gotten. Feels like just yesterday your preggo ass was waddling around TM."

She laughed, the sound of it catching her daughter's attention. The little girl turned, her dark eyes lighting up when they landed on Tig. "Uncle Tigger!" she exclaimed, scrambling off the ground to run to him.

Tig gave Angela a confused look for a moment as he caught the little girl who'd launched herself at him. He squeezed her tightly, looking over her head at her mother. Angela smirked in response before explaining, "Uncle Tigger and Auntie Venus send the best presents. Evie loves them, huh, baby girl?"

Evie pulled away to grin at Tig. "Yeah! Mama showed me pictures of you 'n' Auntie V and you sended me a princess dress and princess shoes and necklaces and bracelets and rings like the Little Mermaid!"

"You guys just shower her in sparkles," Angela commented, feeling her heart warm at the loving look in Tig's eyes as he let Evie play with his crazy hair.

"Pretty girls gotta sparkle, and you are the prettiest little princess in the whole world," he said, tickling Evie's side. Evie shrieked with laughter, squirming in his grasp.

Angela's eyes drifted back towards Kozik's headstone; his actions were so like how she imagined Kozik would be with her daughter that tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away, cursing the traitorous tear that slipped down her face. He heard Tig mutter something to Evie before she went running off. He knocked his shoulder against hers, and she let out a rough laugh, wiping at her cheek. "Sorry. Its just…he should be here."

"I know," Tig murmured, leaning over to kiss her temple. "But cryin' about it ain't gonna bring him back."

She sniffled, thankful for his tough love. That she could handle. If he'd tried to comfort or baby her, she'd end up a blubbering mess. "Yeah." Sighing, she decided to change the subject. "Where's your cut?"

"Hap said no cuts around the kid," he explained on a shrug, his eyes never leaving Evie as she wandered around the gravestones in search of flowers to pick. "I wanted to see her, so I left my cut behind. I get it. I wouldn't want cuts around my kid either if I was in Juicy's shoes."

"Thanks." She shifted nervously, staring at the 'J' tattoo on her finger, chewing at her lip. "Marcus is having someone sit on his family, triple locking his front and back door. I can't seem to go anywhere in Charming without a Son randomly popping up. Marc and Hap won't say anythin', but…are we in some kind of danger?"

Tig hesitated a bit, shrugging a shoulder. "Honestly? I dunno," he answered on a frown. "We're balancin' a lot of plates here, kid. Chinese and Black want revenge. Chibs' got to tread carefully or he's gonna start a war 'n' that means danger for everyone."

"Shit," she cursed under her breath.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, doll. You ain't been here for _years_. The assholes that'd come after us don't know who the hell you or your Old Man are. You ain't a target, doll. Not anymore."

"They see me with you lot, they 'n' I will be," she stated on a frown. "If Juice even gets a hint that we're in danger, he'll come back. He won't care about Chibs or being dead, he'll just come right back. And then what happens?"

Tig shrugged again, his eyes traveling down the row of SAMCRO graves. "I dunno. Think there'd be another couple a votes. First we gotta vote him outta the club and then…"

"Mayhem," she finished, hating the way her voice cracked. "It's been two years. Obviously, nothing he did hurt the club since the club is still alive like a damn cockroach."

He picked at the grass by his leg, contemplating Kozik's headstone and the little girl sitting in front of it for a long moment. "Ain't just that, doll. Him bein' alive…could blow back on me 'n' Hap. We let him go, remember? Disobeyed the President's orders. That shit's treason. We'd get a Mayhem vote too."

Angela felt her stomach churn at the idea of losing Juice, Hap, and Tig all in one foul swoop. "Fuck. I didn't even think…"

He smirked a bit, shrugging a shoulder. " 's okay. I woulda loved to see Juicy again, make him grovel at my feet for saving his life," he joked with a wry grin. "And if it was just him and it was just gonna be a Mayhem vote for _him_ , then hell yeah, I'd tell him to come. Ain't no way a Mayhem vote would pass. Me 'n' Hap 'n' Quinn wouldn't vote for that shit. But, like I said…shit's bigger than you."

She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "This is bullshit."

"Don't I know it," he said on a chuckle. "C'mon, doll, let's go see Elena. Know she's been waiting on the little one to stop by."

"Hmm," she hummed, watching Evie as she played in front of the headstone. She stretched out her hand to him, a silent request for him to help her up.

He chuckled, grabbing her hand and helping her to her feet. "Last time I was helping you off your ass, you were pregnant with the little princess."

She laughed nervously as he pulled her up. There was no way he could suspect; he wasn't that intuitive…was he? "Yeah. Funny," she said raking her hand through her hair. "Evie-doll! Let's go see Nana Lena!"

Evie dumped the wildflowers at the foot of Kozik's grave, putting her hands on his hips. "There Uncle Kozi, now you're pretty."

That had Tig laughing. "Nice one, princess," he told Evie, crouching down so he was level with her. "How's about a ride on Uncle Tig's shoulders?"

The little girl looked at her mother for permission. Angela smirked and nodded, grinning herself as he lifted Evie onto his shoulders. "Yay!" she shouted as Tig stood, one of her hands already playing with his hair. "Tiggy, you got more hair than Daddy!"

"Yeah, baby doll. Thicker too." Tig chuckled, looking over at Angela as they walked. "She know not to talk to her about him in front of others?"

She scowled a little, shrugging her shoulder. "No. How do I tell her that?"

"Dunno, but you should tell her soon. Don't want her to slip around Chibs."

Angela clenched her teeth, sneering at the mere mention of the Scot. "He's not getting anywhere _near_ her. Ever. I swear to God, Tig, if he even tries…"

"He wants to. Asks about her every now and then. We don't tell him shit, but he wants to know. Wants to be a part of her life, Ang. The shit that went down with Juice still bothers him. Wants some kind of closure for it."

"Fuck him," she ground out, grateful Evie was up on Tig's shoulders, oblivious to their conversation. "He really think I'd be okay with that? Do you really think _Juice_ would be okay with that? The man who wanted him dead talking to his little girl? He'd have an aneurysm. Plus, I don't think I could be in the same room with him without my fist connecting with his face."

Tig chuckled softly, nodding his head in agreement. "Fair enough," he said, setting Evie down on the ground as they neared Angela's rent-a-car. He opened the door and helped buckled the little girl in her car seat, booping her nose when he was done. "I'll see you two over at the hospital."

* * *

Angela couldn't help but laugh when she looked in the rearview mirror to see Evie doing her best to look over the back of her car seat in an attempt to see Tig who was following behind them on his Dyna. She lifted her hand to wave at him from over her seat and giggled when he waved back. "Tiggy's bike is louder than Daddy's!" she exclaimed with a big smile. "But Daddy and Kendo's is prettier."

She smirked and nodded in agreement. Juice had bought himself a bigger, sturdier Harley Electra Glide with sparkling gunmetal grey paint, similar to the color of Angela's old Mazda, with intricate black wings painted on the gas tank. Evie loved the bike, loved sitting on it while he worked on it and was eagerly awaiting the day he let her ride on it with him. Even better than her Dad's bike was her brother's. Tig had surprised Kenny on his eighteenth birthday by having Opie's old bike shipped straight to their house. Kenny had it painted black with 'Ortiz' pained in beautiful silver lettering on one side of the gas tank and 'Winston' in dark blue on the other. He had a Latin phrase on both sides of his back fender. They were a tribute to both of his father's. The first was the same phrase Juice had tattooed on the inside of his arm: " _Luctor et emergo_ ", "I struggle and emerge". The other read " _Tantum deus",_ the same words Opie had inked on his forearm meaning, "Only God" to signify that only God could judge him. Kenny had explained how both phrases gave him strength, how the new mixed with the old made him grateful for everything he'd had. Juice had been at a loss for words upon hearing it. He'd just pulled his adopted son into a tight hug and both of them laughed through their tears. Angela smiled at the memory, feeling a little choked up herself; her two boys were total saps.

"Mama, we going to visit Nana Lena at the hospital?" Evie asked, kicking her Little Mermaid shoes in the air as she sat back down in the seat.

"Yeah, baby girl. What are the rules?" she asked, turning into the St. Thomas parking lot.

"No touching the buttons!" she exclaimed, already wriggling in her seat excitedly. She'd never been to a hospital before, and she wanted to see if it was like the ones she'd seen on TV. "And inside voice only!"

"Exactly," Angela confirmed, getting out of the car to help unbuckle her. "You know, you were born in this hospital."

Evie's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she asked as Angela set her on her hip.

"Yup. Best day ever," she said, peppering her daughter's face with kisses while the little girl giggled. "Love you, Evie-doll."

She wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, squeezing hard and kissing her cheek. "Love you too, Mama." Tig walked around the car and Evie cried out with joy as she reached out for him. He took her from Angela and settled her on his hip, chuckling when she tugged at his hair, "Uncle Tiggy! I like your bike! Kendo's is prettier, but yours is _loud!_ Can I ride?"

Tig looked to Angela who shook her head quickly. "Sorry princess. Your first Harley ride should be with your Daddy."

Angela fought the urge to laugh at the crestfallen look on Evie's face. "You don't want to ride on Tiggy's bike anyway. He's stinky," she told her daughter as they made their way towards the elevator.

"Hey! I heard that," Tig said, setting Evie on her feet and telling her which button to push. "Quinn and TO will be around later to visit Lena."

She appreciated the out he was giving her. If she wanted to keep Evie away from the club, she had her chance to leave St. Thomas before they arrived. Honestly, she had no problem with Quinn. Though Quinn didn't keep in contact as much as Tig and Venus, he never forgot Evie's birthday and always sent her something Harley related. She didn't know TO, though. That was a name she'd never heard. "TO?"

"New member. Wants to pay his respects to your Old Man. Was 'cause a him Jax decided to nix the old race rule. SAMCRO absorbed the Grim Bastards. TO was their president."

Angela cringed at Jax's name but nodded anyway. She could handle TO paying his respects if it meant he was carrying on Juice's memory in a positive manner instead negative way she was sure Chibs and the rest of the old crew remembered him. She nodded slowly, raking her hand through her hair. "No cuts."

"No cuts, no butts, no coconuts," Evie sang, grabbing mother's hand and playing with her big ring.

Angela laughed, squeezing her little fingers. "You tell him, Eves," she encouraged, twirling Evie around as the elevator doors opened.

Tig chuckled, tugging on Evie's ponytail lovingly. "I'ma grab some coffee. I'll meet you guys over there, yeah?"

"Bye Uncle Tigger!" Evie said, waving at him as he walked away.

Angela waved to him too, picking Evie up to keep her from running ahead as they approached the room. "Remember, inside voice, Eves. There's people sleeping on this floor."

"Ssshhhh," Evie said, her little finger pressed to her lips. With Evie in her arms, she stepped into Elena's hospital room. Despite being warned over and over again about using her inside voice, Evie shouted, "Nana!"

Elena sat up straighter, a huge smile spreading across her face. "Oh my goodness! Who is this big girl?" she asked, patting the bed for Angela to put her down. "I remember a little baby _pero_ I don't know who this is."

"I'm big now, Nana!" Evie stated with a grin as she crawled over to give Elena a kiss. She wasn't at all daunted or afraid of how sick Elena looked or the many machines that surrounded them. "What's that in your nose, Nana?"

Elena touched the cannula giving her oxygen and smiled. "Helps me breathe, _mi amor_. Now, tell me, do you like mermaids?"

Angela cringed; she'd forgotten to buy the damn doll. Elena was going to kill her. " _Tia_ …"

"Because look what Nana got you," she continued, grabbing a big, wrapped box off the bedside table.

Evie stared at the shiny turquoise wrapping paper with the purple bow for a minute before tearing into it to reveal a very cute Little Mermaid doll. "Mama! Look! Ariel! She's so pretty! Nana, can I open her?"

She felt a hip bump against hers and looked over to see Chloe standing next to her. "You're welcome," the nurse told her with a secretive grin. "We've had that one ready to send to you guys for awhile. Was too cute not to buy."

Angela smirked as she watched Happy hang his head in embarrassment. She wondered if he'd been along for that trip to the Disney store. She wished she'd been there to see _that_ one. "Thank you, fairy godmother," she said on a relieved sigh.

She snapped a few pictures of Evie opening up her doll, laughing when Hap stepped in with his bowie knife to help her out. The little girl stared at him in abject horror. "No! Tio! You're gonna hurt her!"

Happy chuckled, shaking his head at the little girl. "Relax, brat. I got this."

"You chop off her hair, 'n' you owe me twenty bucks," Chloe called out to him, smirking when he glared at her, mumbling to himself as he cut the doll out of the box.

Evie waited patiently for Happy to be done, clapping in excitement once the doll was finally out and in her arms. "Nana, she's so pretty!" she exclaimed, playing with the doll's shiny red hair. "I have her movie and Daddy says I swim like her! But I has to breathe."

"I know! I saw you swimming _, preciosa_! You're a _sirenita_ ," Elena said, kissing her cheek as she climbed into her lap with the little doll with no qualms whatsoever. ( _precious...little mermaid)_

Angela caught Elena's surprised glance at Evie's actions. She knew the older woman was worried the little girl would shy away from her because of the hospital setting and the different machines hooked up to her, but Evie wasn't afraid of much; she didn't have to be. She lived in a perfect little bubble of safety back in Texas where nothing bad ever happened. She'd never seen serious sickness or death, never had any reason to be afraid of hospitals, didn't know the sound of a gunshot, or live in fear that her Dad wouldn't come home. Angela was proud of the life she and Juice had built for Evie which was why she hated taking her out of the bubble and bringing her into the chaotic world of Charming. "Evie, did you know that Nana is the _best_ at braiding hair?"

Evie turned to look back at Elena with wide eyes. " _Really_?"

Elena shrugged nonchalantly. "I do my best."

"Can you braid _my_ hair, Nana?"

" _A ver_ ," she said, gently taking out her pigtails and stroking her hands through Evie's hair. ( _Let's see)_

An unexpected wave of emotion came over Angela as she watched her Aunt's fingers comb through her daughter's hair. Turning away quickly, she quietly excused herself from the room, closing the door behind her and letting out a long breath.

"You okay, _mijita_?"

The voice made her look up, swiping at her eyes quickly when she found her mother staring back at her. "Yeah. Fine," she told her on a sniffle.

"You don't look fine. Can I get you some water or something?" she offered, pressing a hand to her forehead to check her temperature.

Angela bit her lip; there was something she could do for her. Rubbing a hand over her stomach, she decided it was time to let her mother in for once. She'd taken the at home pregnancy tests, now was time for a real one, and who better than her mother to help her with it? "Actually, I need a favor."

* * *

 **A few of you guessed it, so I didn't feel the need to draw it out! Baby Ortiz #2 is on the way! ;) This is definitely going to complicate things for the rest of the Ortiz family, though!**

 **As always, please leave a review! Let me know what you think, any theories or predictions! I always love your guys' inputs!**

 **Have a great weekend y'all!**

 **~Love Ink**


	6. Bug

**Thank you all so much for hanging in there with me! This story is a lot harder to write than the last since I've left the canon of the show, but I've got a plan and its going...slow but going! ;) Lots of plans for it, I swear!**

 **Thanks to everyone who took the time to review, favorite, and follow! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _dakota_** _(Stick with me, it'll get there. ;)), **Bb** (Yay! Hope the re-read was just as good as the first time!), **Sabrina** (Thank you so much! I hope you and your family stayed safe in the Hurricane!), **and Guest!**_

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 6: Bug_

 _By Love Ink_

Juice stared at the programming code on his work computer without really seeing it. His rubbing at his tired eyes, he focused on the pictures he had pinned to his cubicle wall instead. Pictures of Kenny in his football uniform, Evie in her princess dress, Angela in her little black dress from their last work party, a picture of the four of them together on their vacation to Disney World. He'd worked his whole life to be a part of a family like the one he had now, and it hurt like hell to be away from them. It didn't help that he hadn't heard from his wife once that day. He checked his phone again, typing out a quick text to her and making sure to add just enough emojiis to make her smile. Tapping his fingers on his desk, he watched the screen waiting to see the little bubble that told him she was typing back. So far, nothing. "C'mon, baby," he muttered, a bad feeling sinking into his gut. Sighing, he picked up his phone and went to his favorite contacts, pressing Kenny's number and hoping his son would give him some insight as to why she wasn't answering.

"Hey Dad," Kenny's voice was tired as he answered. It made sense since he'd just had one long ass flight and it was still early over there. "Was just about to call ya. What's up?"

"Nothin' just…wanted make sure you guys got in all right," he replied, feeling the ache of loneliness ease a bit at the sound of his son's voice. "Everything good over there?"

He yawned into the phone. " 's far as I know. Haven't seen Mama yet. Skeet said she was hanging out at the cemetery earlier, but I think she went to see Lena already."

"Must be why she's not answering," Juice muttered more to himself then to Kenny. "You staying at the Alvarez place?"

"Nah. I'm at the funeral home. Jazz is only here for a week 'fore she's got orientation, so once she's gone, I'ma help out here. Get a refresher on all the dead people stuff 'fore I start goin' to legit school for it."

Juice bobbed his head, proud of his son's worth ethic. "Good plan, Kendo. Always good to get a head start," he encouraged, playing with the stress ball on his desk. "You heard from your Ma at all today? She said she caught some bug on the plane that's fuckin' with her stomach. 's makin' me a little worried. Think she's avoidin' me 'cause she doesn't want to go to the doctors."

"I talked to her earlier just to see when to head over to Lena's. She didn't say anything about being sick though. I'll keep an eye out for it. Let you know when you really need to start pushin'," he assured him. "How are you?"

He sighed, raking his hands through his thick hair. "Fine, I guess. Wish I could be there with you guys."

"But you're dead here, so you can't," Kenny reminded him. "Which sucks because we all need you here… 'specially Mama. But you can't come so…don't stress her out anymore by like…surprising her, okay?"

For a moment, Juice felt a strange sort of happiness when he heard Kenny say he was needed. They'd been a strong family unit for a couple of years now, yet he still couldn't believe he had a real family that wanted and need him around. It blew his mind sometimes. "Okay."

" 's gonna be bad enough keepin' Eves quiet about you. Dunno how Ma's gonna explain that to her 'fore they meet up with Chibs."

"They're not meeting up with Chibs," Juice stated hoping to God that was the case. Angela knew how strongly he felt about keeping the Scot away from his daughter; she'd never go behind his back and meet up with him. "She promised."

Kenny was quiet for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Chibs' got this kinda obsession with…the Dead Dad club. Like…he always checks in on El and the Teller boys 'n' when I was here for El's graduation, he was like insistent that we get lunch together. He asked about Eves and Ang and…I wouldn't be surprised if he found a way to meet Evie whether Ang had a say in it or not."

" _Dead Dad club_?" he repeated in disbelief, crushing the stress ball in a tight fist. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me with this shit, Ken."

"I kid you not. He feels real bad about it all. Ellie says he drives up to Berkeley sometimes to get coffee with her and talk about our Dad. He gives her cash, makes sure she's doin' all right. Think he feels guilty about everythin'," he explained thoughtfully.

Juice ran a hand over his face in frustration. "Jesus Christ, Ken. How come you didn't say anything?"

He could practically hear Kenny shrugging despite being in a different state. "El's a big girl. She can do whatever she wants, and I…I didn't want to upset you 'n' Ma. Nothin' happened. I asked him questions about my other Dad, stuff about when he was my age that you wouldn't know. Then he asked about Evie."

He felt like he was going to be sick. He hated the idea of Chibs of all people worrying about Evie. He was the one who forced their hand, made them leave Charming. If he'd only agreed to help him when he'd come to him that day in the diner, things would be totally different. "What'd you tell him about her?"

"Nothin' really. Just that she was happy. He asked for pictures, I showed him the one I had as my lockscreen but that's about it," he explained simply. "Oh. Also mentioned that she asked about her Daddy all the time. Made him feel like shit. Know it was bad, but after hearing what he said to you in that diner, I couldn't resist."

"That's my boy," Juice laughed feeling proud as hell of his kid. "Love you, Ken."

"I know, I know," he replied, a smile in his voice. "Love you too, Dad. But I gotta go. Gotta head to the hospital 'fore I give Jazzy the big Charming tour. Introduce her to my other parents."

His heart felt heavier when he thought of Opie and Donna and all of the other friends he'd lost over there. "Good. Say 'hi' to them for me and tell your Ma to _call_ me please!"

He chuckled in response. "Will do. Later, Dad."

Juice said his goodbye and hung up the phone with a sigh. Sitting back in his chair, he chewed at a stray hangnail on his finger, deep in thought. Something didn't feel right. Angela was avoiding him which meant there was something she was hiding, but what could it be? Had she already met up with Chibs and was nervous about tell him? Maybe she was so happy about being back in Charming that she'd started to resent him for taking her out of there? What if his relationship was disintegrating before his very eyes and he wasn't there to stop it?

"Hey! Jay!" Dino's voice cut into his thoughts, making him sit upright with a jolt. "You all right, man?"

He nodded quickly, though it was a lie. "Yeah. Totally fine." At Dino's doubtful look, he sighed. "Ang isn't answering my texts. 'm worried she's mad at me for making her move out here and leave her family and then she's gonna wanna stay there or somethin'."

"You're crazy. She's probably busy," his brother-in-law reminded him.

"Yeah, but…she _always_ answers my texts," he muttered to himself. "I just got this weird feelin' that something's up."

A worried look crossed Dino's face. He was one of the few people who understood the bond he and Angela had since his and Jo's wasn't so different. "You think somethin' crazy happened? Know you guys were into a lot of weird stuff over there."

Juice shook his head, nodding to the laptop he had set up on his desk; his personal one. "Nah, I'd a gotten an alert. Hacked into all the servers I could over there. Law enforcement, hospitals, got Tig sending me info in Charming, Lino in Oakland, anythin' and everythin'. Somethin' bad happens and I'll know."

"Wow. Impressive," he replied, bobbing his head. He ran his fingers through his hair, chuckling softly. "Damn, I'm glad I hired you. Knew you were more than just some biker gang hacker."

"Intelligence officer," he corrected with a smirk. He'd long since given up correcting his sister and brother-in-law when they called the club a gang. That wasn't his life anymore; he didn't give a shit what they called it now. "After all we've been through, it's just…hard being away, y'know? Makes me nervous about her changing her mind somehow. 's not like I don't trust her I just...I'm still in disbelief that this all worked out. I'm just holdin' my breath, waiting for something bad to happen."

"Don't. It ain't about you, trust me," Dino assured him. "I get it though. Every so often, Jo takes a trip back to Queens to visit your Ma, 'n' I feel like the world has flipped upside down. Kept worrying she's want to stay. I used to call her every hour 'fore she started a rule. Two calls a day. More if something big happens. 'course then she ends up callin' me all the time to bitch about everythin'."

Juice chuckled, shaking his head. "She's a lunatic."

He scowled playfully. "Hey, don't talk about my wife like that," he defended, but his smile shone through. "In all seriousness, though, if you need to leave, go. Take your computer shit and work from Cali. 's not like you're working so hard over here, all distracted and shit. Plus, you might actually be able to help us over there."

He tilted his head to the side at the suggestion. Dino's company was based in Texas with a satellite office in New York; both offices far from California. "How?"

"We're lookin' to expand a bit. Thinkin' of putting a satellite office out in Silicon Valley since that's where all the techie shit is jumpin' off. Might be good for us to be thrown in the mix," he explained on a shrug. "You know Cali. You could go over there and scout locations."

Juice considered it for a moment, wondering how much trouble he'd get in with Angela if he just went and blamed it on work. " 's not a bad idea. She'd kill us both, though."

"Jo too," Dino agreed on a shrug. "But, hey, you're already dead over there so…she can't really make you any deader, right?"

They both laughed at that. It was easy to make fun of the situation from a million miles away, but Juice knew as soon as he set foot in California, it would become all too real. "Guess not. I'll think about it. Feel Ang out and see how long she think she'll be there."

"Fair enough. Let me know when you figure it out. Gotta prep your sister. Know Ang put her in charge of keepin' you here."

Juice smirked; he secretly loved how well Angela and Jo got along. They were incredibly close, often times ganging up on their husbands to get their way. "Those two are a dangerous combination."

"Don't I know it." He looked over to where some of the other programmers were leaning over a computer. "I gotta go. Make sure the rest of the nerds are workin'."

"Good luck with that. Last time I checked they were Pokemon-ing," Juice muttered, going back to his work.

Dino looked over at the crowd, tilting his head to the side. "Anythin' good?"

"Just another Pidgey," Juice said flatly. "Whole office is filled with fuckin' Pidgeys."

"Don't I know it," he muttered, crestfallen. "But I need one more to evolve mine so…I'll see yeah later."

"Loser." He snorted, laughing lightly as he opened his own Pokemon app and scrolled through to check what he had.

* * *

Chloe stared at Elena's chart for the hundredth time. She'd had it practically memorize, but she still studied it, trying to see if she'd missed anything while she waited for her latest lab results in front of the hospital's lab. Drumming her fingers on the counter, she glared at the tech sitting in front of the computer. "There a reason they're taking years back there?"

"Just busy," the lab tech, Miguel, answered on a shrug. "Chill. 's not like she's gonna die, right?"

"She dies, and I kill you," she threatened, sick of his lazy ass. She knew he got labs through faster for nurses that sucked up to him, but she refused; it wasn't in her DNA to brown nose, people needed to do their jobs the right way regardless of personal opinions. He didn't seem that intimidated and kept messing around on the computer, muttering something to himself. Chloe felt like reaching over and throttling him.

Graciela breezed in, grinning at her as she approached the counter. " _Hola_ Miguelito, _mi amor_ ," she greeted the tech. "How's your wife doing?"

Miguel smiled at her, shrugging his shoulder. "She's real good, Graci. She wanted me to thank you for the tamales. Said it was just what she was craving," he told her with a big grin.

"Good! I'll give you the recipe, so you can make them for her," she promised, winking at him. "Did you get my results, _mijito_?"

"Let me check," he said, pushing away from the computer and heading towards the back.

Chloe stared at them in disbelief. "When did you turn those labs in? Yesterday?"

Graciela laughed, checking her watch for a moment. "No, like five minutes ago. Why? What are you waiting on?"

"Five minutes ago?" she questioned, dumbfounded. "Seriously? I've been waiting on these for _hours_ now! They're Lena's labs and…and…"

"Ssshh _callate, nena_. Elena's going to be just fine," she said, patting her arm lovingly. "I'll tell him to rush them." ( _Shut up, girl_.)

Chloe sighed softly, raking a hand through her hair. "What are you here for? You usually get someone else to run samples to the lab for you."

"I was bored," she answered on a shrug, though the smile tugging at her lips told her the older woman might be lying.

Miguel handed her the test results with a small smile. "Think you got some good news to give."

Graciela's smile was almost identical to Angela's as she took the read out from him. "Thank you, Miguel," she replied, folding the paper and tucking it into her front pocket. "And please, get the poor girl Elena Lowman's labs. She's my sister, you know. I want the best treatment for her."

"On it. Give me ten minutes," he said, hopping to it and going to the back.

"See? A little kindness goes a long way. I always tell my nephew that. You get more bees with honey than vinegar, _sabes_?" she told Chloe, a patronizing tone to her voice.

After working with Graciela for almost two years, Chloe understood why she and Angela butted heads so much. The older woman drove her nuts! She thought she knew _everything_. "Yes, ma'am," she answered on a polite smile. "What's the good news?"

"Don't worry about it, _mijita_ ," she said on a flippant shrug.

She grimaced at those words, shaking her head at her. "If I had a nickel for every time someone from your family said that to me, I'd be so rich…"

Graciela laughed, shaking her head. "You should start cashing in on it. I'm going to go check on my sister. You let me know when her labs come in, okay?"

Chloe nodded, watching her walk away with a sigh. Looking back over the counter, she smirked when she saw Miguel wasn't there. She took a look around to make sure to one was nearby before slipping behind the desk. Quickly, she leafed through the logbook behind it, brows furrowing together when she read the name of Graciela's patient. "Jane Doe," she muttered to herself. It was a place holder name, one used when they couldn't identify someone, yet Graciela seemed to know her patient well. She typed the patient's number into the computer database, looking over her information. The birthday, weight, height all lined up perfectly with one person. "Oh that _whore_."

"I got your…hey!" Miguel exclaimed indignantly. "You're not supposed to be on that!"

"I have clearance for it, thank you!" she replied, ignoring him. "I'm done anyway. Those my test results?"

"Yeah but…"

"Thanks." She grabbed them from his hand, not even bothering to look at them as she shoved it into Elena's file and heading out the door on a mission to find her so-called best friend. She found her standing outside of Elena's room with Graciela. The older woman was gesturing excitedly with her hands while Angela was looking sullenly at the paper in her hands. Chloe recognized that look and felt her anger dissipate; she was scared.

She approached them slowly, fighting the urge to smirk when Graciela immediately shut up. There wasn't much that could shut Graci up when she was on a tear, but Chloe had a feeling she quieted to stay on Angela's good side. They had so much bad history that she didn't want to jeopardize what little progress they'd made by spilling a secret. "Hate to interrupt…whatever this is, but can I talk to you for a second?" she asked, watching as Angela immediately straightened up, quickly masking whatever fear she'd been showing just seconds before.

"Yeah," Angela murmured, pushing off the wall and giving her mother a warning look before starting to head down the hall. "What's up?"

Chloe let out a long breath. "How far along are you?"

She blinked at her in response, her mouth agape for a moment before she recovered. "I'm sorry…what?"

"I saw the test results. Graci might've put a fake name, but she used your real birthday, weight, height, and blood type."

"You know my blood type?" Angela repeated, her brows drawn together in confusion.

Chloe rolled her eyes, huffing slightly. "Of _course_ I do! You come to me with gunshot and stab wounds or your husband all beat up or you giving birth, so I know _all_ of the Ortiz medical information just in case," she explained, trying her best to keep her voice down. "I've been through all that shit with you which is why I'm pissed that I'm the last one to know you're pregnant again!"

Angela's eyes widened, her hand flying up to cover Chloe's mouth. "Shut. Up. You are _not_ the last one to know. You are _third_ , okay?" she hissed, pushing her into an empty storage closet. "And I'm sorry I went to my Mom to ask her to test me, but she was the first one I saw, and you told Hap last time, and I _can't_ have that happening because I haven't told Juice yet because I can't tell Juice because if I tell Juice, he'll come here, and he's _dead_ here!"

"Woah, woah, woah," Chloe said, interjecting before she could ramble anymore. "Calm down. I get it! Just thought it was weird you went to your Mom and not me."

She shrugged a shoulder, raking her hand through her hair. "I…Dia was the one that caught it first and then I saw my real Mom and thought that maybe…maybe it was time to start letting her be my Mom," she explained softly. "Yeah, she treated me badly when I was a kid, but after thinking I'd lost Juice and having to see his smile on Evie's face every day, I…I understood where she was coming from. It hurt every time she smiled because I could see him in every inch of her face. It made me want to hold her closer, but I can see why my Mom thought it was easier to push me away. So I…I forgave her. Not to her face, of course, but…yeah…time to let her be a crazy, overbearing Mom."

Chloe fought the urge to smile at her best friend's emotional rambling; the pregnancy hormones were clearly in full effect. "Wow. You gonna tell her all that?"

Angela smirked in response, shaking her head. " 'course not. We don't talk about that shit."

"Right," she muttered, rolling her eyes. She was familiar with her family's 'we don't talk about feelings' policy. "You gotta tell Juice about the baby, though."

"I _can't_ tell him, Chlo. Did you not hear me? He _will_ come here, and they'll kill him."

Chloe shook her head slowly. "The club's different now, Ang. They don't do all the violent shit anymore. There hasn't been a lockdown since Jax died. They're moving in a different direction, and I seriously think Chibs would be happy about it. You can tell he still feels guilty about what happened to him."

"As he should," she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "And even if that's the case, I'm not willing to risk my husband's _life_ on it."

"Okay, so say you don't tell him. You don't tell him and he somehow doesn't find out you're pregnant for…however long it is that you're here for and when you finally get home, he meets you at the airport and you've got this big ass belly, or worse, a new baby in your arms, you don't think that would crush him?"

Angela lifted her chin stubbornly. "No. He'd understand."

"Bull shit," she replied quickly. "You don't think it would destroy him to know you kept something _that_ big from him for _that_ long? That once again, he couldn't be there to hold your hand through the appointments, to watch his baby being born…only this time it was because _you_ felt you didn't need him? Because you didn't want him there."

"Of course I need him. I just need him _alive_ ," she stated, her hands clenched into fists. "You don't think I hate this? Because I do! We've been trying for over a _year_ to have another one and got _nothing_! I come here for a week and find out that it finally happened? That's fucked up, Chlo!"

"It's more fucked up that you're considering not _telling_ him! After all that waiting and you're just going to keep him out? That's fuckin' stupid! Tell him, Ang. Tell him or the relationship you fought so hard to keep together all these years will fall apart!" she shouted, frustrated by her friend. Angela looked like she'd been slapped which Chloe considered a triumph. Good. The girl needed a slap in the face figuratively or literally. She was just glad it came figuratively; she really wasn't in the mood to slap a pregnant lady. "I know you're coming from a good place but think big picture, Ang. This is something you'll have to deal with for the rest of your lives."

Angela sighed softly as she twisted the ring around her finger. "Fuck, I hate it when you make sense."

"So you're gonna tell him," she stated, opening the door for her.

"I'm gonna think about it," she conceded on a smirk.

Chloe rolled her eyes, hoping she made the right choice. "Just do it. Please."

She waved her off as they headed down the hall towards Elena's room. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"And congrats, Ang," she said, pulling her into a hug. "Elena's gonna be so excited for you. Might pick her up a bit. Give her a reason to fight a little harder."

Angela rubbed at her stomach, making a contemplative face. "That's a lot of pressure to put on a baby."

"Yeah, but its an Ortiz. You guys are stronger than most."

She grinned in response. "True that," she agreed. "I'm going to make sure my kid's not torturing my Aunt."

"Tell him, Ang," Chloe repeated just as Happy walked out of the hospital room. Angela scoffed, rolling her eyes again as she disappeared inside the room.

Happy raised an eyebrow at her. "Tell him what?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Don't worry about it," she told him, throwing his own words back at him.

He pulled a face, clearly displeased. "Fuck that."

She laughed lightly, standing on her toes to peck his cheek. "And now you understand why I hate those words," she said, patting his arm. "I gotta do my rounds. See you later?"

"You ain't gonna explain?"

"You gonna explain next time you tell me not to worry about somethin'?" she shot back, arms crossed over her chest.

"No."

"Then don't worry about it," she replied, walking away. She could feel his eyes on her back and turned to wink at him over her shoulder. He shook his head at her, the slightest hint of a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. It was gone just as quickly as it had come, yet it still made her day. Making Happy smile was a rare feat, so she made it into a game, keeping track of how many times a day she did it. That smile was number three, and it wasn't even noon yet.

* * *

Angela sat on Esai's bed with her laptop open, wondering if Juice would be close enough to his computer to answer her video call. It'd taken her a few hours to work up the nerve to call him, and now that the line was ringing, her stomach was churning with nerves. The line finally connected and Juice's smiling face popped onto the screen. "Hey baby!" Juice's voice came over the speaker. "Almost missed ya! I'm at work so…what's up? Everything okay?"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Right. He was at work. Because they were a normal couple now, and her husband had a steady nine to five job. "Yeah. Everything's…fine," she stated distractedly.

His eyes searched her face for a moment before his smile faded. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Of course he saw right through her. They'd been together too long, knew each other too well for it to be any different. A flicker of hope filled her; this was the right decision. He had to know. He had to know so they could celebrate together despite the distance between them. "Yeah. Just…you know that bug I've been fighting for the past couple of days?"

The worry on his face intensified as he nodded. "Yeah."

"I finally asked my Mom about it," she said, running her hand through her hair. "Got some tests done and stuff…"

"And?" he pressed, leaning forward into the computer.

"She said it might be a couple of months 'fore I start feeling better," she told him, wondering if he'd understand.

His eyes widened, fear coming over his face. " _Months_?" he asked in shock. "Holy shit, Angel! Is it some kind of mutant virus? Can you treat it? Who the hell brought that mutant virus on the plane?"

She felt her fear ease a bit at how cute he looked when he was worried. "Not from the plane, baby. I got it from you, actually."

" _Me_?" he repeated, his eyebrows raised. "Baby, I haven't been sick in _years_! How could I have been the one to give you a bug?"

"It's not a bug, it's a baby, ya goof!"

He blinked at her for a second, his brows furrowing in confusion. It took him a minute to process before the biggest smile spread across his face. "A baby?" he repeated in awe. "Really, Angel?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Really, really."

"Holy shit! We're having another baby!" he shouted, raising his hands in triumph.

She heard scattered clapping and shouts of joy and congrats from around him. "Goof! Shush! You're at work!" she reminded on a laugh.

He didn't seem to care though, since he pulled off his headphones and shouted. "D! You're gonna be an uncle again!"

"Fuck yeah!" came Dino's response. A huge dimpled grin was on his face as he ducked into Juice's cubicle. "Congrats, Angie! That's awesome! How far along are you?"

Juice went quiet as he put his headphones back in to hear her answer. She bit her lip as she shrugged. "Just a couple weeks. Dia caught it first and then my Mom ran a test at the hospital to be sure. Set up an appointment with the doctor for tomorrow."

"Hold on a sec, Angel," Juice replied, putting her on mute as he looked up at Dino. He unmuted it after a moment before grinning at her. "What time?"

Dread filled her; she knew exactly why he was asking her the time. He was already planning on taking the trip over. "Juice…no. You can't come here."

"I'ma talk to Hap and figure it out. I'll stay in Oakland if that's what it takes, but I'm not leaving you alone," he promised passionately. "Didn't put you first with Monk. Not making that mistake again."

She swallowed hard as she shook her head. "No, Juice. Its not safe. Please don't…"

Juice stood up, walking with the laptop to a conference room for privacy. She heard him lock it behind him before he settled down in one of the cushy chairs. "Think of the guys at the table now, Angel," he said, keeping how voice low. "Hap, Tig, and Quinn. Vote needs to be unanimous for Mayhem. You can't tell me those guys would say 'yes'. Not under Chibs' rule. Chibs' doesn't have the leverage to pull for that."

"Yeah, but you being here, _alive_ could put Hap, Tig, and Quinn in some deep shit," she explained, doing her best to discourage him. "I'll come home, Juice. Don't come here. It's fine. I'll say my goodbye to Lena and just come home."

"You can't leave Lena, Angel. Not now. You gotta be there for her. You leave, and its something you'll regret for the rest of your life. I don't want that on my conscience."

Angela shook her head. She knew he was right in a way, but there was no way she'd tell him. She had to keep him away at all costs. "Please, Juice. I can't lose you. Baby won't be here for nine _months_ , okay? The early stuff is lame anyway. You can't see anything, and I'm not showing or anything so its okay."

She watched him clench his jaw, looking away as he ran a hand over his face. She'd seen this lost look before, this look of utter hopelessness, and she hated it. It brought back memory upon memory of the worst part of her life. His shoulders lifted and fell as he took in a deep breath. "I hate this," he rasped, shaking his head. "I should be there. I _want_ to be there. Please, Angel. Just let me go. 'm goin' crazy here without you. Don't want to be alone out here anymore. Let me talk to Hap."

"No," she insisted, wiping at her eyes. "Stay strong, Juice. Its okay. I'm telling you, you're not missing anything. I'll come home as soon as I can. Probably before this little bug starts looking like a person. Okay?"

He shook his head again. "No, its not okay. Not at all. I want to be there, Angel. With you and with Eves. I'm tired of SAMCRO ruinin' my life. I never did anythin' wrong. Never ratted, nothin'. This shit ain't fair."

Angela gave him a sad smile. "I know," she murmured before letting out a long breath. "We'll be home soon, baby. Just hold on. I'll send you pictures and stuff. Maybe I'll convince Chlo to let me video chat with you at the appointment, okay? You can ask all your questions and shit, okay?"

With a sigh, he nodded. "Yeah, okay."

"Okay," she repeated, wiping at her eyes. She was proud of herself for not breaking down completely in front of him. "Juice, I love you. Only reason I'm pushing you away is because I want you to stay safe. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do, baby," he replied, the smallest hint of a smile on his face. "Just wish you'd let me help you. Hate to think you're doin' this all alone…again. This is…we've been trying for this for so long, and its finally happenin' and I'm here and you're there and it sucks."

She felt a lump form in her throat as she nodded. "I know, baby. Wish it could be different, but it can't. Don't forget why we left. Wasn't just for shit and giggles."

Juice sighed, moving his fingers through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Angel. This is all on me."

Angela recognized the defeated look in his eyes, the guilt that made his shoulders slump; this was not good for him. He'd been struggling a bit ever since he'd left Charming. Most days, he was okay, but every so often, he'd have these intense nightmares, bouts of depression, all brought on by the smallest things. Usually she was there to pull him out of it, make him go running with her or take the kids out for the day, or even just give him some space. She worried about what he would do without her there to take care of him. "No it's not, Juice. Don't go there. We're okay. Happy, healthy, and alive. Remember, _that's_ the only thing that's your fault. Our happily ever after."

He snorted a bit, rolling his eyes at her. "If you say so."

"I do," she told him, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Now get somewhere private. I'm all alone and some very, _very_ pretty panties on."

Juice groaned, shaking his head at her. "You tryin' to distract me with sex?"

"It working?"

He considered it a bit, tilting his head to the side a moment. She took advantage of his hesitance and pulled her shirt off, revealing one of his favorite lacy bras. His eyes grew wide as he leaned in closer. "Oh, its definitely working. Door's locked, shades are drawn. Show me those panties."

* * *

 **Disclaimer 2: I don't own Pokemon (obviously), but I couldn't resist making Juice and Dino and their nerdy office all Pokemon Go players. ;)**

 **As always, thank you all so much for reading and let me know what y'all think and any theories or suggestions about what you'd like to see!**

 **Hope those of you who celebrate have a very Happy and safe Halloween! :)**

 **~Love Ink**


	7. Reunion

**Thank you to all of you for having patience and sticking with me through this crazy ride! Thanks to those who review, favorite, and follow! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _Guest 1 (_** _Thank you for your patience! I truly appreciate it!) **,** **RogueSlimShady** (More Hap and Chloe will be coming up soon **), Sabrina** (Glad you're doing okay after the Hurricane! :) Hope you had a great Halloween as well!), **Guest 2, Guest 3, and Guest 4** (Totally agree...I'm glad to be able to give him a better ending than what he got on the show! ;)). _

**This chapter was a real toughie, and I'm still not sure I like it all that much, so let me know what you think please! Your reviews mean everything to me!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Lino, Dino, Jo, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 7: Reunion_

 _By Love Ink_

Jo was a little surprised when Dino came home from work without her brother in tow. He was always at their place since he said his was too quiet with his family gone. She was thankful for it, it made it a lot easier to watch out for him and make sure he didn't do anything stupid. The fact he wasn't there the very same day Angela revealed they were expecting was a huge red flag. Jo had been elated when her sister-in-law had called to tell her the news, and then her elation became fear. She knew exactly why Angela had called her. She had to keep Juice in Texas, a feat she knew would be easier said than done. She figured her husband would do his best to help her, but now, she had a feeling she was mistaken. She raised an eyebrow at him, taking a sip of her wine as she watched Dino kiss each of their sons before going to the fridge for a beer. He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "What's up, buttercup?" he asked, popping the top off his beer.

"Nothin'. Where's my brother?" she replied suspiciously.

Dino shrugged a shoulder, refusing to look at her as he inspected what she had cooking in the big pot. "At his place, checking on Rigs."

She crossed her arms over her chest, not buying his answer in the least. "Uh-huh. He wouldn't be…packing for a trip now, would he?" she questioned, smirking when Dino shook his head. "Look at me, Dean. Where is my brother?"

Dino scowled, lifting his head to look at her. "He's at home packing, all right? Because his wife is pregnant, and I totally understand his need to be with her right now because if it were me, I'd move hell and earth to get to you."

Jo tried to be mad at him. Tried to work up the anger to yell at him for being such a moron and letting her brother think it was a smart move to go back. She couldn't, though, because deep down, she understood that kind of love and loyalty. "Ugh. You suck."

" 'cause you know I'm right, right?" he said with a huge grin.

She did, but she wasn't about to admit it. "No, because now I gotta go fix this," she shot back, sticking her tongue out at him. She pecked his lips quickly before gently slaping his cheek in a loving way. "Feed your children, I'll be back in a minute."

Dino waved her away, calling to the kids to get their plates while she rushed out the back door towards her brother's house. She loved how close he was to her now. Loved that the only thing separating their houses was the wooden fence with the cute little door in between. The kids went freely between backyards during the day, laughing as they ran through with Rigs tailing them. It was perfect, everything she had always wanted. She'd missed her brother the few years they'd lost contact. She'd only kept her distance to keep from bothering him. She regretted that now. Maybe if she'd intervened earlier, she could've saved him some heartache. Sighing, she opened his back door, stepping inside and grinning as their big dog ran to her. "Hello handsome," she cooed to Rigs, leaning over to kiss his head. " 'm here to stop your Dad from making the worst decision ever, then I'll come down and give you some love, okay?"

She scratched him behind the ears one last time before climbing the stairs and going to the master bedroom. The door was open, and she leaned against its jamb watching her brother neatly put things into an open suitcase. "Where ya goin'?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Charming to be with my pregnant wife," Juice answered without looking up.

"You know you can't do that, Wonka."

He glared at her for a moment before throwing the shirt in his hand back into the suitcase. "Try to stop me," he dared, mirroring her stance. "This is my _wife_. I need to be there for her. I'm not gonna let her do this alone again."

Jo had to fight the urge to laugh. She'd seen this obstinate look on her brother's face many times when they were growing up and it never lasted long. He'd always been a bit of a pushover. "Don't be stupid, Juan," she said on a scowl. "She's gonna be fine. You go and you're puttin' your _life_ on the line, ya idiot! Ain't gonna be useful to her if you're six feet under."

"Club's not even gonna know I'm there, Jo. I already talked to Dia 'n' she said I can stay in Oakland with them and we'll find Angel a good hospital out there to go to so I don't have to go to St. Thomas and it'll be fine. _I'm_ gonna be fine," he insisted, going back to packing. "I'm not going to let her down this time, Jo. I won't do it."

"You're not letting her down if you stay. In fact, you'd be doing exactly what she wants."

"I don't give a fuck what she thinks she wants," he said, shaking his head. "I know what she _needs_ and she needs me and I…I need to be there."

Jo tilted her head to the side, studying him and trying to gauge his emotions. He was breathing harder than normal, like was on the verge of having a total panic attack. That worried her; Angela was the only one who knew how to calm him down when he got all worked up like this. Without her there, Jo didn't know what to do. "Chill, bro. She'll be home before the baby is born. Probably before she hits her third trimester. Just stay. Hold out 'til then. You won't be missing anything, I swear."

"Fuck that!" he spat in frustration. "You don't get it! I _gotta_ be there because I wasn't with Evie! I have to…I have to prove to her that I'm not the same guy I was back then! She was pregnant and I…I cheated on her and I fought with her and called her names and didn't go to appointments and then I just left! She was months away from having _my_ child, and I left! Who the fuck does that? And then…then, I wasn't even there for the birth 'cause I was with the fuckin' club killin' people and shit! But this time…this time, I was supposed to be there! I was supposed to hold her hand and buy her all that weird shit and I can! Jo, I can do all that now and she won't…she won't _let_ me."

She stared at him in disbelief, still trying to wrap her head around everything he'd said. She known he'd been in some deep shit, but she'd never heard anything about him cheating on his wife or _killing_ anyone. "Jesus Christ, Juan…"

"I know. I fuckin' _know_ ," he said around a sad laugh. "I promised her I'd be there for this kid. That this time would be different. How can I stay here and leave her to do it alone all over again? I don't want to fail her again. I can't. I don't want to be like our Dad. I can't…I want to be there for her. I'm not skipping out on her."

Jo felt her own resolve soften when she saw a tear roll down his cheek. She'd surprised him a few months before when she'd invited their father to dinner. He'd walked in and had all but punched the older man in the face. He'd fought with everyone that night. It wasn't until later, when he'd calmed down a bit and explained it all to her that she realized just how badly their father's absence had impacted him. She could see the fear in his eyes, the worry that he'd end up being exactly like him. "Oh, Juan," she murmured, pulling him into a tight hug. "You're not our Dad. You are an excellent father. Kenny looks up to you and Evie _adores_ you. You're only missing the very beginning of this new kids' life. Dad was there for that with you. It was the rest of the shit he missed. Remember that."

Juice shook his head slowly. "I don't want to miss _any_ of it. Not when I don't have to."

"Yeah and what about the club? Chips and all them?"

His whole body seemed to tighten at the mere mention of his past life. "I'll deal with that problem when I get there." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. " _Please_ , Jo. Let me go. I need this."

She looked up at him, smoothing her hands over his arms like she did to her boys when she was comforting them. How could she say 'no' to him when he was looking at her with those big, puppy dog eyes? "She's gonna flip when she sees ya."

His shoulders sagged in relief, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Thank you," he breathed, pulling her in for a tight hug.

Jo laughed, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I love ya, Wonka. Just want you to be happy. You been a mess since she left 'n' I hate seein' you like that. If you think you can work it out and stay safe over there, 'm not gonna stop ya," she explained, squeezing his arm. "But if she asks, I didn't know anythin' about this shit."

Juice chuckled, pulling her in for another hug. "I won't say anythin', I swear."

"Good," she said, patting his cheek lovingly. "When's your flight leave?"

"In three the first one I could."

Jo smirked, knowing her husband had some kind of involvement in this. "This one of Dino's company charter flights?"

He shrugged a shoulder and grinned. "He may have arranged it. Technically, I'm goin' there on business, so..."

"I love that man, but I'm gonna kill him," she stated, shaking her head at him. "Pack fast and then come over 'n' eat. Don't want you goin' over on an empty stomach."

* * *

Chibs always went to the Charming cemetery with a bouquet of a dozen roses. He'd leave three behind at Luann's grave, three at Gemma's, Tara's, and then finally Donna's. He always ended at the Winston graves, contemplating the two headstones with a heavy heart. He could still see Opie's bloodied face in the moments before he died, still remember the last look he shared with Jax, see Donna bleeding in the street, Tara laid out in her casket…all these horrific images were on a daily rotation in his mind. Bloody reminders of the reasons why he had to steer his club in a new direction. Keep them from repeating those same mistakes that had killed so many.

He wandered away from them, heading to the big oak tree at the end of the row. The big tree brought with it memories of another tree, the one he'd caught Juice underneath as he tried in vain to hide the thick chain wrapped around a branch, to get rid of the evidence of his suicide attempt. Since there was no official resting place for Juice, this was where he went to pay his respects. Setting his hand against the old bark, he looked up into the branches thinking of the lost brother he had failed. Juice had been his prospect, his responsibility. He'd been like a son to him, and he had rejected him when he'd needed him the most. Letting Juice go that day in the diner, agreeing with Jax that he needed to die, was one of his biggest regrets. Hindsight was twenty-twenty, and in hindsight, he realized Juice hadn't betrayed the club until he was at his wit's end. Until he was cornered with nowhere else to go. All he'd wanted to do was get back to his girls, a sentiment Chibs was familiar with. A sentiment he should've understood. He'd almost made a deal with Stahl to keep his girls safe, but, he was never punished for it. No one ever said a word about it. Not like Juice. He'd done his best to protect SAMCRO and his girls and they'd killed him for it.

Now the Ortiz girls were back in Charming and Chibs wanted nothing more than to apologize to them. To find some kind of closure in telling the dead man's wife and daughter just how sorry he was for what happened to them, how he wished he hadn't been blinded by Jax's rage, by his need for revenge. He'd been a fool not to stand up to younger man, a fool to think what Juice had done was any worse than what he and his other brothers had done in the past.

He glanced towards the funeral home in time to see Kenny and Angela walking towards it, each of them holding one of Evie's hands, swinging her up off the ground as they went. They made a perfect little group, the three of them, but he knew that Juice's absence was felt. Kenny had told him as much the last time they'd seen each other. He hated himself for depriving little Evie of a father who would've loved her to pieces. But he and the club had taken him away before he'd even got the chance.

Taking in a deep breath, he looked up through the branches once more. " 'm sorry, brother," he murmured, tapping his knuckles against the bark affectionately as he said a prayer that Angela would be open to talking to him. Hap insisted he stay away, but he couldn't. He needed to make things right.

He walked into the funeral home, smiling to himself at the sound of the little girl's laughter coming from the office. The bell over the door must've alerted them to his presence because he heard Angela shush them. He braced himself as she entered the foyer.

She didn't see him right away, so he took the time to look her over. The last time he'd seen her, she'd looked gaunt and desolate. Now, she looked healthy, strong. Her head was held high, shoulders squared confidently. He knew from experience Angela Ortiz was a force to be reckoned with, that she would fight to the death for the people she loved. And she'd loved Juice. He'd known that since the very first time he'd seen them together. She'd been good for him, supporting him, giving him strength when he needed it, and calming him down when his head got too crazy. Chibs had seen the change in him almost instantly. She'd made him stronger by giving him a support system to fall back on outside of the club. Juice had been happier because of her, and Chibs would forever be thankful to Angela for that.

Her dark eyes narrowed when she finally spotted him, the murderous look in them mirroring one he'd seen in Happy's eyes as he zeroed in on his kill. "The fuck are you doing here?"

His lip twitched into the smallest hint of a smile at her attitude; some things didn't change. He covered his smile with a cough, knowing if she caught it, it'd only enrage her more. "Good to see you too, love," he replied cordially. "Heard you and the little one were in town. Wanted to stop by, see how you were. 's been awhile."

A look of disbelief passed over her face before she hid it. "There's a reason for that. You killed my husband, remember?"

Her blunt words were a stab in the gut. He blinked at her for a moment before clearing his throat. "Wasn't what I wanted. He put himself in that position. Juicy-"

" _Don't_ say his name," she interrupted with a glare, taking a step towards him. "You lost that right the day he came to you for help and you turned him away. You _knew_ something was up, and you did nothing. You pushed him away when he needed you the most, then signed his death warrant. So excuse me if I don't want to talk to you or even _see_ you."

"I did what I could," he lied, a lie he'd been telling himself over and over again. "Didn't want it to end that way."

She snorted derisively, shaking her head. "That's fucking bull shit," she said around a laugh. "Fuck off, Chibs. We're done here."

Chibs wasn't done, though. He had so much more to say to her. "No, we're not. Wanted ye ta know…"

Evie's loud giggles filled the room, Bones' heavy footsteps falling behind her as he chased her into the foyer. Chibs felt guilt fill him when she stopped in front of him, craning her neck back to look at him. "Hi!" she greeted with a big grin.

He swallowed a lump in his throat at the sight of that familiar smile. The little girl could've been Juice's twin with her big eyes and bright grin. Before he could reply to her greeting, Angela's assistant swept her off her feet with a loud growl. "Caught you, Monk!" Bones exclaimed, exchanging a glance with Angela. She jerked her head to the side, signalling for him to get out of there, and he nodded, quickly carrying Evie out of the room. "We're gonna stay far, far away from _that_ bad guy."

Evie's eyes stayed on him from over Bones' shoulder, her head tilted to the side. "He bad?"

Bones nodded in response. "Yeah. Like Scar from the Lion King status, Monk. Killin' Dads 'n' stuff," he muttered, the rest of what he was saying lost as he went into the other room.

Chibs scowled, his hands clenching into fists in anger. "Now tha's not fair," he said, pointing towards where Bones had left.

Angela smirked in amusement, her eyebrows lifting slightly. "Why? He's just telling her the truth. I don't like lying to my daughter. 'specially when it comes to her Dad."

"You forgave the rest of 'em, didn't ye?" he asked, saying what really was bugging him. "Hap, Tig, ye had no problem lettin' 'em back in."

"They're family," she replied easily. At his unconvinced look, she shrugged, "I don't have to explain myself to you."

Chibs frowned, looking down at his scuffed boots. "Was a time we were family."

"Yeah, was a time when Juice was alive too," she shot back ruthlessly. "Save your apologies, Chibs, they're not going to change anything."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair feeling defeated. "Guess not," he murmured, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his cut. "Ye got a beautiful little girl there, you know, and Kenny's grown into a fine young man. Know that's a lot of your doin'."

She crossed her arms over her chest, obviously trying to hide a smile as she thought of her kids. "I like to think so. Amazing what getting away from this cesspool can do to you."

Chibs ducked his head, wishing there was something he could say to make her come around. Unfortunately, his burner went off before he could say something more. The sound of it made both of them cringe. "I got to take this. Was good to see ye, Angie-girl," he told her, watching as her jaw ticked angrily. "You 'n' the little one. She looks just like him. Give her love from her Uncle Chibs, yeah?"

Angela's dark eyes narrowed a bit, her chin lifting a bit confidently. "Fuck no," she spat. "She will _never_ call you Uncle."

"Yeah. Right." He felt the blow of her words and took a step back. There was a fire in her eyes that warned him to stay away, and he listened; he had other shit to do anyway. Nodding, he set a small wad of bills on the small table before heading out the door.

He could hear her footsteps following after him. "Hey! You forgot this!" she shouted, tapping his shoulder.

He turned, holding his hands up; he wanted her to have the money. It was the least he could do. "Keep it. Put it towards somethin' fun for the kids. Can't be easy being a single Ma."

Her fist hit his face before he ever saw it coming. He staggered back, cursing her up and down while he clutched at his eye. "I don't need your fucking hand outs," she seethed, throwing the money at him and forcibly pushing him away. "Stay away from my family, asshole!"

Chibs heard the door slam and cringed; that had not gone well. He didn't know what he'd expected when he'd walked into the funeral home to talk to Angela, but it hadn't been that. Happy had been right when he'd said to stay away. Though, he had been to see that losing her other half hadn't doused the fire within her. She was still the same, snarky little spitfire as before. His only wish was that he could share in her new life with her, know her kids. Have them call him Uncle the way Abel and Thomas did. After all, that's what he and Juice used to joke about. But that would never happen. He'd made his own bed and now he had to sleep in it.

* * *

Angela's knuckles were throbbing as she drove towards the Alvarez house. She felt physically and emotionally drained from what had turned out to be an awful afternoon. She'd been having a great day working at the funeral home until Chibs decided to show his ugly face. That had thrown her for a major loop. Worse was Evie constantly asking questions about the "bad man Scar" and why no one liked him. If Juice could hear her, he'd have a heart attack. Hell, she was having a hard time being patient with her inquisitive daughter. The more questions she asked, the harder it was to put the whole exchange behind her. She was just glad Evie hadn't seen her hit him. That would've been bad. Evie wasn't a hitter, her first reaction when she was mad was to cry, but Angela had a feeling if she saw her own mother hitting when angry, they'd have some major problems in the future.

Unlike her daughter, Angela tended to get physical when she was angry and seeing Chibs had brought up a fury in her she hadn't been expecting. She'd thought knowing Juice was alive and well would've calmed her anger some, but clearly, she'd been wrong. She'd kept her distance in an attempt not to hit him, but when she saw the pity money he'd left on the table, she'd hit her limit. Regardless of whether she was a single mother or not, the idea that Chibs thought she couldn't provide for her own family had made her see red, and she couldn't stop the fist that went flying at his face. Looking at her hand, she grimaced at the bruises she saw already appearing on her knuckles, wondering if she could hide the bruises from Dia and Marcus.

"Mama, Auntie Jojo's car!" Evie exclaimed from the back seat, pointing at the big SUV in the driveway. "She here?"

Angela groaned when she saw the car. Worse than having to explain her bruised knuckles to Dia and Marcus was going to be explaining them to Lino. "No, baby girl. That's the same car, though! Good job!" she explained, pulling in next to it. She contemplated turning around and going to stay at her Mom's place. Not only did she not want to see Lino, but the fact that he'd driven his cage instead of riding his Harley meant he probably brought his baby Mama with him. She cringed; he'd been trying to force her to talk to Sol ever since she set foot in California, and she really wasn't up to it. She'd had enough confrontation for one day. "That's your _Tio_ Lino's car."

" _Tiooo_ Leeeeeeeeno," Evie sang, her little feet bouncing up and down as she did. She held up her Little Mermaid doll. "Ariel likes Lino!"

"I'm sure Lino likes Ariel too," Angela replied around a laugh, glancing up at her daughter in the rearview mirror. For a brief moment, she tried to picture another carseat next to her with a tiny baby inside of it. Evie would love that. She'd been asking for a sister since Christmas the year before. Angela put her hand on her lower stomach, rubbing it over the smallest hint of a bump. It was unnoticeable to everyone except for her, and she wanted to keep it that way. No use in alerting the masses before she was showing. It would mean Bones, Skeet, and Kenny would keep her from working at the funeral home, and that had been the silver lining to the whole damn trip. She wasn't about to give that up, not until she absolutely had to.

Evie waited patiently for her mother to unbuckle her before jumping out of the car and running to the front door, her little fingers reaching to ring the doorbell over and over again while she laughed. Lino opened it with a big grin already on his face. "There's my little _sirenita_!" he exclaimed, swooping her off her feet. "How you doin', _linda_?" ( _Little mermiad...pretty girl)_

Evie grinned, hugging Lino around his neck and kissing his cheek. "Good, _Tio Lino_! I played with ' _buela_ Lena 'n' she gave me this doll! Its Ariel! Do you like her?"

Lino pretended to be fascinated by the little doll in her arms. "Like her? I love her, _chiqui_! She's gorgeous! Just like you!"

"You're silly, Lino," she said around a giggle.

He chuckled, kissing her cheek again. " _Veni, linda_. Me 'n' Tessa were just gonna play some Candyland. You wanna play?" ( _Come, pretty girl)_

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, her whole face lighting up in a way that was so like her father's, Angela had to look away. God, she missed him.

Lino smiled, setting the little girl down on her feet. "Go 'head. Be right there," he told her, pushing her towards the living room. Once she was gone, he turned to her mother. "So, if I have a baby boy and you have a baby girl, and they, like, get married, will we be like officially related?"

Angela's eyes widened in shock; had Dia told _everyone_ her little secret? She smacked him gently. "Shut up. It ain't gonna happen," she said, trying to fight a smile. She'd love to raise her kids with Lino's. Despite the fact he was having a baby with someone she hated, she really missed having him in her life. She had no doubt their kids would be good friends if they lived closer. "Soon as I can, I'm going back to my husband in Texas."

A strange, almost guilty look crossed his face before it was gone. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say, _Mamacita_ ," he shrugged off. " 'ey, go upstairs 'n' relax a bit, change out of those work clothes 'n' shit. Take advantage that I'm practicin' my fatherly skills."

She sighed heavily. "You don't know how good that sounds. This day has been insane," she breathed, running her hand through her hair. He tried to hide his guilty grimace, but she caught it easily. "What the hell is that face for, Lino? Makin' me feel a little nervous."

"Nothin', nothin'," he assured her on a shrug.

"Lee, I've known you since you were three. I know when somethin's up. What's goin' on?"

"Nothin', I swear. 's just that…Soli's here helpin' Dia with dinner 'n' I…didn't want you to freak out," he answered, scratching at the back of his elbow. " _Pero_ if you don't want her near your kid, like, I'll leave."

Angela rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Whatever, Lee. 's long as she's nice to my kid, I don't really care. Just…don't expect me to have some long, deep talk with her. 'm not up for that. 's been a long day."

"Fair enough, _Mami_ ," he said around a laugh, leaning over to kiss her temple. "Go, relax, 'fore dinner's ready and Dia freaks."

She kissed his cheek, patting his shoulder as she headed up the stairs, undoing her braid as she went. With another tired sigh, she opened the door to Esai's room and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw there was someone else in there. Someone very, very familiar. She stared at his back, her eyes tracing over the movement of his muscles as he rummaged around in his suitcase. Closing her eyes tightly, she willed him not to be there when she opened them again; there was no way he was dumb enough to come to Charming. No way. She opened them again, and he was still there. "Fuck," she murmured, alerting him of her presence. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Juice held up his hands quickly. "Don't get mad."

Angela stared at him disbelief. She thought she'd explained why he couldn't be in Charming. She thought they had an agreement. She wanted to be angry with him, but after her conversation with Chibs, all she could feel was fear. "Jesus Christ, Juice. What the fuck are you doing here?"

He crossed the room to her, his big brown eyes wide with worry. "What's going on? What's wrong?" he asked, his hands rubbing over her arms.

"You're here. _That's_ what's wrong!" she exclaimed, stepping away from him. "You…You're not supposed to be here! It's not safe here, Juice! We _talked_ about this!"

"I know! But, I want to be here for you, for the baby! I couldn't…how was I s'posed to stay in Texas while you're here? Pregnant and…and alone? We've been trying for his for…for months now, and its finally happening and you expect me to leave you alone?" he demanded, his hands balled into fists at his sides in an attempt not to keep his hands off her. "Baby, I can't do that. I wasn't there for you with Eves, and I want to make up for that...be there for this one. Every step of the way."

Angela swallowed hard, feeling frustrated and angry all at once. How could he do this? Frustrated tears filled her eyes as she struggled with what him being there meant. She'd just run into Chibs, and she could tell it wouldn't be the last time. How was she supposed to keep Juice hidden when the man who had wanted him dead wanted to be in her life? In their children's? "No," she choked out around the lump in her throat. "Don't you get it, Juice? They'll take you away. I can't lose you. Not again."

Juice looked confused by her reaction, but he stepped in closer, brushing a stray hair from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "You won't, Angel. I swear to you, you won't," he promised, his eyes big and sad as they looked at her. "This was the right thing to do. "I'm not going anywhere, Angel. Shoulda come over with you to begin with. I'm your husband. You need me now more than ever, and I'm not goin' _any_ where, okay?"

His eyes were so honest, urging her to understand while his whole demeanor radiated strength. A strength she desperately needed now more than ever. "Okay," she breathed, defeated. He was there. There was no turning back now, no way for her to convince him to go. Leaning forward, she slid her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. "I love you."

Juice relaxed, moving his arms around her and squeezing her tightly. "Love you more," he murmured, kissing her temple. "It's going to be okay, Angel. I swear."

"Mmm," she hummed, feeling at peace in the safe circle of his arms. As scared as she was for him, she couldn't say she wasn't happy he was there. It wasn't until she was in his embrace that she realized just how much she'd needed him. With his arms around her, she felt calmer than she had in days. She tilted her head back to look up at him. "Just don't die again, okay?"

He chuckled, catching her lips in a quick kiss. "Not gonna happen," he swore, his hand moving to rest on her stomach. "I want to meet my new little bug."

She smirked; it seemed like their new kid had a nickname of their own now. She kissed him again, harder this time. "Missed you," she told him, her hands moving underneath his shirt. "So much, baby. You have no idea."

His hands slipped down to her ass, squeezing it lovingly as he walked her backwards towards the bed. "Oh, I think I do. All those texts 'n' pictures. So fuckin' hot," he replied, his mouth slanting against hers, tongue slipping past her lips to taste her. She sat on the bed, smiling when he dipped his head to kiss her again, climbing over her as she laid back. Then he stopped, his nose wrinkling for a brief moment. "This isn't where you…had your first time, is it?"

Angela laughed, shaking her head. "No, goof. Not my first time," she assured him. He seemed appeased by that, moving his lips to her neck. She moved her hands into his hair, closing her eyes at how good it felt to have his lips on her skin again. "Some other times though…"

He groaned, lifting his head to meet her eyes. "Shit, Angel, way to kill the mood," he muttered, leaning back away from her.

"Hey, you asked!" she stated around a laugh. She sat up, grabbing his face in her hands. "Juice, I love you more than I have every loved anyone, okay? Don't let all this Esai shit get you all twisted up. He's dead. Not comin' back. Even if he wasn't, I'm _your_ wife. The mother of _your_ kids. Stress less."

Juice's responding smile showed his relief. Leaning forward, he pecked her lips. "Love you, Mama."

"I know," she answered, kissing him again. She pressed her forehead to his, looking into his eyes. "We're having another baby, Juice."

His grin could've lit up a dark room. "I know," he replied, dipping his head to kiss her lower belly. "I'm not surprised. I've got a magic penis, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, laughing when he blew a raspberry into her stomach. "Goof!" she exclaimed, wriggling as he tickled her sides. "Stop!"

He kept tickling her, his laughter joining hers just as there was a knock on the door. " 'ey, whatever it is you're doin' in there, stop!" Lino's voice came from the other side. "Dia's got food!"

"We'll be right there!" she shouted back, pushing Juice away. He held out a hand to help her off the bed, catching her lips with his once she was on her feet. She smiled, brushing her thumb over the scruff on his cheek. "C'mon, I know someone who is going to be very, _very_ happy to see you."

He followed her out of the room, her hand entwined with his. He seemed to be doing his best to ignore the many pictures of Esai that littered the hallway. "How's my baby girl doin' with Lena? She understand what's going on?" he asked, clearly wanting some kind of distraction.

"Nah. She knows she's sick, but she doesn't get how sick. Thinks the hospital's fun, so far. Loves the lime Jell-O," she said, smirking as she remembered the way Juice would whine for the lime dessert when he was stuck in St. Thomas after his stabbing.

"She clearly gets her good taste from me," he told her with a wink.

Angela rolled her eyes as she stepped off the bottom step in time to hear Lino exclaim, "Hey! Someone's cheating! Who moved my little dude?"

Tessa and Evie giggled as if it were the funniest thing in the world, probably because Tessa did move his piece; the youngest Alvarez hated losing. Juice walked in, put his hands on his hips and shouted, "Who's cheating?"

Angela felt her heart do flip flops as Evie screamed in delight, jumping to her feet and running towards Juice. "Daddy, Daddy!" she shrieked, throwing herself at him.

He caught her easily, sweeping her up in the air and twirling her around. He placed a loud, smacking kiss to her cheek. "Hi Monk!" he greeted around a laugh.

She hugged him back just as tightly, kissing his cheek. "Missed you, Daddy! You stay here?" she asked, her dark eyes wide and a little worried.

Juice nodded, kissing her nose. "Yeah, baby girl. 'm stayin' here with you 'n' Mama. Gotta take care of my girls," he said looking back at his wife with a grin. "Right, Mama?"

Angela smiled back at him, her heart feeling full as she nodded in response. As worried and scared as she was about him being there, she also felt a sense of reassurance and a renewed feeling of strength. This was all going to work out. It had to.

* * *

 **Ta Da! Juice is back in Charming! I was going to draw it out a bit, but I couldn't. Didn't feel right. ;)**

 **As always, please let me know what y'all think! I love hearing from you!**

 **~Love Ink**


	8. Captured

**Happy Holidays everyone! :D**

 **Gah this chapter took a lot of changing! I had a little filler planned, but I figured I'd get down to it and bring on the action!**

 **Thank you so much for all your reviews, favorites, and follows! I got back to most of you but thanks to:**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Lino, Chloe, Soli, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 8: Captured_

 _By Love Ink_

Juice was happy to wake up the next morning with his wife snuggled against him. He studied Angela's hand where it lay on his chest, smiling to himself. He loved her hands. They were so graceful and pretty yet strong enough to massage even the biggest knots out of his back. A perfect representation of the woman they belonged to: strong and beautiful. He swore he knew her hands better than his own; which was why he picked up on how swollen her knuckles were, how they were purple as if she'd bruised them somehow. He lifted her hand off of his chest, brushing his thumb over one gently, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. She jerked her hand back in response, a low hiss of pain leaving her lips.

"You punch someone?" he asked, gently taking her hand in his again and noticing her slightly swollen wrist too. Her right wrist was the same one she routinely injured, the one that ached on cold days and throbbed if she'd been typing on the computer too much at work.

"Mmm, don't worry about it," she murmured, snuggling in closer to him and moving her leg across his, her foot pressed against his calf.

As distracting as it was to have her so close after not being together for so long, he was laser focused on whatever the hell had happened to her hand. "Angel, who'd you hit?"

She sighed softly, pressing a kiss to his throat. "No one important," she answered, her voice muffled by his skin. He tangled his fingers into her hair, gently tugging it back so she'd stop teasing him with her kisses. Her lip stuck out in a slight pout before she gave in. "Chibs."

He tensed at the name, his grip on her hand tightening a bit. The image of the Scot's cold dark eyes staring at him from across the diner table came to mind as the last words he said to him flashed through his head; _Ain't no way you're ever getting back to those girls_. Swallowing hard, he shook his head, holding Angela just a little tighter. Chibs had been wrong, of course. He'd gotten back to his girls, to his family, but it had almost cost him everything. "Jesus Christ, baby," he breathed, his heart hammering in his chest.

Angela lifted her head up, her brows drawn together in worry. "Juice, relax. Its okay."

"No its not. He…you _talked_ to him? He…did he come to you?" he asked, still reeling. She hesitated a bit before nodding. Juice felt like he couldn't breathe; why couldn't he just leave them alone? Quickly, he sat up against the headrest, bringing his knees up to his chest and setting his elbows a top them as he shoved his hands through his hair, trying to calm himself down.

He felt her fingernails rake over the back of his neck as she tried to soothe him. "Breathe, baby. I'm okay. Nothing happened," she assured him, kissing his temple. "I punched _him_ , remember? If anyone should be fearing for his life, its that motherfucker."

Juice knew she was trying to get him to laugh, to calm him down somewhat, but he didn't find it funny. "What did he want?" he asked, closing his eyes and trying to focus on the soothing feel of Angela's fingers caressing his skin.

She hesitated again, and he loved her for that. Loved how she wanted to protect him, how she was trying to save him from spiraling deep into the dark place he'd been in when he'd left Charming. "Juice…"

"Please, baby. I need to know."

Angela nodded slowly. "He wanted to apologize. Make things right," she explained on a sigh.

"That it?" he asked, sensing there was something she was keeping from him. He looked up at her, into her worried dark eyes. "I can handle it, baby. Just tell me."

Slowly, she moved over him, straddling his lap before taking his face into her hands. "I love you," she told him, bumping her forehead against his. " _That's_ all that matters. The rest is just…bullshit. All that matters is just you and me and our family."

"Our family that he wants to be a part of," Juice replied, pulling away from her a bit. She didn't' look at all surprised to hear he wanted to be a part of the family which meant she'd been trying to keep it from him. He wondered how long she'd known. "Ken said he met up with him last time he was here, that he asked about Monk."

This time the shock was evident on her face, she sat back on his thighs, a mixture of anger and hurt on her face. " _What_?"

"You didn't know?" he asked, a little surprised himself. Kenny said he hadn't told her, but Juice hadn't really believed them; their son didn't keep much from them, especially from her.

"No," she answered, raking her hand through her already messy hair. "That little fucker."

Juice chuckled softly, the sound of it building into a full on laugh as the absurdity of it all hit him. Chibs had told him to kill himself, had wanted him dead, and now all he wanted was to be a part of his family, a family he would have been a part of if he only helped him from the get go. "This shit is so fucking backwards," he said around a laugh. "What the fuck is _wrong_ with him?"

Angela laughed lightly. "Where do you want me to start?"

He grabbed her right hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles before bringing them to his lips to dot kisses across them. "How's your wrist?"

"I'll live," she replied with a wicked grin. "Was totally worth it. I tried to be good. Kept my hands to myself for a good ten minutes, but then he tried to give me cash 'cause he thought I couldn't provide for my kids, and I lost it. Slugged him as hard as I could. No one questions my mothering skills without being smacked around."

He smiled proudly at her. One of the things he admired and loved most about her was how she always defended herself. No one messed with her family and got away unscathed. "My badass Mama bear. I love you. You know that?"

Angela rolled her eyes at him, sliding her fingers in her hair and tugging lovingly. "You've mentioned it before."

"Mmm," he hummed, closing his eyes at the feel of her fingers playing with his hair, a feeling he absolutely loved. He slipped his hand under her shirt, dragging his fingers over the barely there bump of her stomach. "I do. Love you and our Sasquatch and our Monkey and our future little bug."

She laughed, her head tipping back as she did so, her dark hair tumbling down her shoulders. They'd only just started calling Kenny 'Sasquatch' because Evie insisted her big brother get an animal nickname like hers. Giraffe hadn't stuck but Sasquatch sure had. "Our crazy zoo of a family," she mused, leaning forward to kiss him again. "Which reminds me, I have to call your sister. She was in charge of making sure you stayed put."

"She had no idea what was happenin'. Arranged all this shit on my own," he lied easily.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know I don't believe you, right?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm here now," he told her, squeezing her hips. "Made a deal with Alvarez. Played the 'family' card so soften him up, sealed the deal by offering up my hacking skills, told him I'd help update their shit. Help him get any info he needed whenever he needed it."

"Are you telling me you're the bew Mayan Intelligence Officer?" she asked in disbelief.

He chuckled at the idea of donning another cut, of getting back into the one percenter life that had almost killed him. "Nah, just a friend of the club. Lino gave me a code name 'n' everything."

"Lino?" she questioned in disbelief. "Juice, just how many people did you talk to?"

"Well, Lino 'n' I caught up on the way over. I landed in SF, so it was a longer drive than normal," he explained on a shrug. "You didn't ask my nickname."

Angela rolled her eyes at him. "What's your nickname?"

" _Tonto_. Like Lone Ranger status. Y'know, his side kick was Tonto, and he was super badass?" he asked, excited to have been somewhat accepted into the family. Her laughter filled the room, making him feel warm and fuzzy all over despite the fact he had no idea what she was laughing about. "What? What's so funny?"

" _Tonto_ ," she replied, giving the word a more Spanish-sounding tone, "means 'idiot in Spanish, goofy."

He scowled, slightly crestfallen. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, dude," she said around a chuckle. Her smile faded a bit as she studied his face, her fingers brushing across his cheek lovingly. "I don't know if I like you workin' for Marc. I mean, I love him. He's been a great father figure to me in the past and he's a great grandfather to our kids…"

"But…" he coaxed, trailing his fingers over her shoulder and down her arm. He was obsessed with how good her skin felt underneath his fingertips. He could touch her all day.

Angela shivered a bit under his caresses but continued on undeterred, "But he killed his own son to make a deal with SAMCRO. I trust him with my life and with our kids, but not with yours. I'm surprised _you_ do."

"He's puttin' a lotta trust in me by lettin' me look in on all his shit," he pointed out. "Plus, Marcus loves Evie. He's not gonna do anythin' to hurt her. _That_ I know for sure."

She still looked unsure. "I hope you're right."

"I am," he assured her, capturing her lips in a lazy kiss, his tongue sliding into her mouth. He flipped her over onto her back, smiling when she squealed in response. He pulled away to look at her, holding himself above her despite the way she was trying to pull him back down by wrapping her legs around his waist. "We're gonna be okay, baby. Everything is going to work out. It always does for us."

Angela frowned, her fingers lazily tracing over the tattoo inked on his chest. "Don't jinx it, goofy. All we need is for our luck to run out."

He shook his head slowly. "Nah," he replied, kissing her again. " 's long as I got you, I'm the luckiest man in the world."

She rolled her eyes, but he could see the smallest hint of a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Mushhead."

He leaned forward to nuzzle his nose against hers before kissing her again. "What are your plans for today, Mama?" he asked, rolling off of her and lying on his side next to her.

"I _was_ going to go to Charming for a baby appointment, remember?" she told him, smiling warmly as he brushed his fingers over her lower belly. "Was gonna do that then work a little, but _now…_ I gotta cancel the appointment, but…"

"You still got work to do," he finished with a smile. "So go. I'll do my research, find Bug the best doctor in the Bay Area, 'n' we'll do the appointment shit tomorrow. Make Chlo go with us 'n' everythin'. It'll be just like doin' it in Charming just…not. You go to work and have fun. Keep those boys in line."

Angela's big smile gave him butterflies; he hadn't seen her so genuinely happy in a long time. "Sounds good. I'll try and be back early."

"Mm-kay. What's Monk up to?"

"Today is Abuela Dia's day," she explained on a smirk. "Dia's got a whole day planned for Eves and Tessa and Lino and the Evil Queen. Wants to get Soli used to having little kids around."

Juice was surprised Angela was okay with their daughter being around her old rival. "You okay with that?"

She shrugged a shoulder. " _I_ don't want to hang out with Soli, but as long as Dia and Lino are around, I don't mind it. I trust them," she explained simply. "And you? What are you gonna do?"

"Besides miss you?" he asked, grinning when she rolled her eyes at his cheesiness. "Research some doctors for Bug and start on all this Mayan shit. Show Marcus I wasn't kiddin' when I said I could help."

Angela smiled proudly, tracing her finger down his cheek. "My sexy, smart hacker man." She leaned in close so that her lips were just inches away from his. "Think you could hack your way into my panties?"

Juice chuckled at her lame line. "Seriously?" he asked. She nodded, straddling him again and grinding her hips against his to show him how serious she was. He bit his lip, enjoying the friction for a moment before quickly grabbing her around the waist and rolling her onto her back. Holding himself over her, he grinned as her laughter filled the small room. God, he was a lucky man. He leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss. A long, lazy kiss that made him sigh in content. He may be risking a lot to be there, but he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

* * *

Lino held Soli's hand, swinging it in between them as they waited in line at the local carnival's ticket booth. It was a free entry day so the whole place was packed with people. Dia had sent them to get more ride tickets while she waited with Evie for Tessa to get off the Dragon roller coaster ride. Evie had ridden it once, hated it, and refused to go again. Meanwhile, Tessa stubbornly insisted on riding it again. Dia had asked them to get more tickets for the other rides, so she could sit with Evie while they watched Tessa ride it once more. "Still can't believe Eva freaked out on the coaster," Lino stated, shaking his head. "Ang 'n' I rode that thing once, decided it was boring, and went to the bigger shit. No baby dragon ride for us. Eva musta gotten the scaredy cat gene from her Pops."

Soli smiled nervously; she was still a little unsure about hanging out with Angela's daughter. "Yeah. Maybe," she mused, humoring him. "You asked Angela about me hangin' with her daughter, right?"

He smiled, squeezing her hand. " _Por supuesto_. She don't care, Mami. Relax," he assured her for the fiftieth time. "Why you so worried?"

She looked down at their hands, her thumb moving nervously over his knuckles. "I was awful to her when we were younger. I was so jealous of her bein' with E that I…I tormented her. Made her feel like shit whenever I could 'cause I wanted what she had. If I were her, I wouldn't want me anywhere near her kid."

Lino shrugged it off. He knew how bad Soli had been to her, had heard Angela complaining about it more than once when they were growing up. "Was a long time ago. You grew up a lot since then, baby," he told her, kissing her cheek. "She knows you're sorry. I told her. Plus, I'm like her brother. She trusts me."

"Surprised she didn't throw a fit when she found out about us," she murmured, rubbing a hand over her belly.

Lino scowled at her, pulling out his wallet as they neared the window. "Nah. Never seen Ang throw a fit in my life. Throw punches, yes, but never fits. She gets angry, she don't use her words. All fists with that girl."

Soli nodded in agreement. "She _does_ have a mean right hook," she answered, rubbing at her cheek as if she still felt the sting of the blow. "She hit me once, 'n' I learned my lesson. Started seeing how far I could push her 'til she got to that point. The second I saw her hands makin' fists, I backed off. Wasn't about to go through that again."

"I know what you mean, Mami. Been on the receiving end of that fist more than once," he said on a chuckle. "Know she hit Esai a few times too… 'course he would hit her back."

She shifted uneasily, tucking her hair behind her ear as she cleared her throat. "You know, I found a way to sleep with Esai the _week_ after she skipped down."

He stared at her, dumbfounded. Why the hell was she telling him this? He was her boyfriend; he didn't want to hear about her sleeping with another guy! "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. It was awful. Kept calling me her name 'cause he was drunk. When I corrected him, he told me to 'shut up'. Guess he wasn't the guy I thought he was," she mused, letting go of his hand so he could pay. "He was kind of a dick actually."

Lino chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Think Ang would agree with you there."

That's when they heard the screaming. "Evie," Soli breathed, leaving his side and pushing through the crowd.

He looked over in time to see Dia being pulled away by a man with a hat pulled low over his face, his hand at her back, no doubt with a gun. Meanwhile, Evie stood alone crying out for Dia while she started to chase after them. There was another man hot on her heels, but Soli was faster and smarter. She weaved through the crowd, easily parting them in her attempt to get to the little girl.

He was closing in on Dia when he heard her shout, "Tessa! Get Tessa!"

Looking over, he saw Tessa just hopping off the dragon ride, another man in black waiting for her at the exit. Hesitating, he turned and ran towards Tessa, jumping over the gate and grabbing her before the other man could. He ignored the carnival worker's shouts as he plowed through the flimsy gate, knocking it over in his attempt to get away from the asshole trying to get to Tessa. "Hold tight to me, Tessa, all right? Don't let go," he told her, holding tightly to her as he raced through the crowd after Dia.

The people who had her were fast, but Dia was dragging her feet, slowing them down and Lino was an avid runner, even with Tessa in his arms, he caught up to them in the parking lot. "Stop!" he shouted, going for his gun as they loaded Dia into the black van. "Let her go!"

They didn't listen to them, slamming the door and driving away with a peel of their tires. He put Tessa down, aiming his gun and squeezing off a few shots, hoping to hit the tires, but failing miserably. "Fuck!" he shouted as it drove away. He felt Tessa's face press into his pant leg, and ran a hand over her curls. "Sorry, _Princesa_. You okay?"

Tessa was staring wide eyed at the street where the van had disappeared, whispering a set of numbers over and over again to herself. Lino pushed her hair away from her face. "You hear me, baby girl?" he repeated. She blinked at him, repeating the numbers once more. Lino kneeled so his face was even with hers. "Tessa…"

She repeated the number sequence louder. "That's the plate, _Tio_! Write it down! That's the plate! We need to tell Papi so he can find her! He knows how to, I _know_ it! Write it down before I forget! Please!"

Lino quickly grabbed his phone, writing down the number as she recited it again. He closed the phone, putting it in his pocket. "Got it. Now, you tell me, are you okay?"

She nodded, sniffling a bit as she breathed in deeply. "Papi's gonna get those bad guys, right _Tio_ Lino?"

"Yeah. We're gonna get 'em," he assured her, picking her up again and kissing her cheek. "We're gonna get 'em good."

"He was tall, Lino. With a black hat and dark skin. I saw him take her! I was on the ride, and I saw it. Papi always says to pay attention and not to scream unless they have me. I would've fought him, Tio. I know how."

"Good job, Tessa," he said, kissing her again. "Let's go make sure Evie's okay. She wasn't trained like you, _princesa_."

Soli was holding Evie tightly on a park bench just outside of the women's bathroom. Clearly, they'd run in there as a way to escape, a smart move on her part. Evie was sobbing, her face pressed into the older woman's neck. Soli rubbed a hand over her back, rocking her slowly. "Ssssh. It's okay, Eva. I got you, _tesoro_. You're safe now."

"She okay?" Lino asked, looking around them for any sign of the men dressed in black.

"No, she's not okay," Soli replied, kissing the little girl's temple. "She's scared to death, _pobrecita_."

He nodded in understanding, reaching out to stroke a hand over her soft hair. "Did you get a good look at him, Eves?"

"N-no," Evie whined in response, burying her face into Soli's neck even more, fat tears falling down her cheeks. "Want my Daddy!"

Soli glared at her boyfriend for being so insensitive, holding Evie even closer. "We'll get you to your Daddy, _linda_ , okay? Right now."

Lino nodded, already dreading telling Marcus about what had just happened. This had to be the Niners. They'd finally strengthened their numbers enough to feel comfortable getting retribution for what the Mayans and Sons had done to August and their crew. The fact that they'd gone after Marcus' wife and his kid was not a good sign; they were trying to make this personal and it was _not_ going to end well.

* * *

Juice hated sitting in the cold Mayan warehouse that served as a Mayan clubhouse. The place was filled with awful memories of his last moments in California. When he'd last been there, locked in that stupid storage closet, he'd thought it was going to be his last night on earth. He remembered studying Angela's face, drinking in every detail because he thought it would be the last time he'd ever see her. He'd been wrong, of course. Happy and Tig let him go. He was no idiot, he knew they'd done it because of Angela and Evie. Without his girls, he'd literally be six feet under. On days when Angela drove him crazy and when Evie was being a pain, he went back to that thought, and it made him appreciate his family so much more...which was why he took all the shit the Mayans were giving him, all the rude comments and teasing. He didn't give a shit. He was still alive and with his girls, that was all that mattered.

"How's it goin'?" Marcus asked, looking over his shoulder at the ancient laptop in front of him.

He rubbed at his eyes and let out a long sigh. "Workin' on gettin' rid of the viruses, then I'll put up a firewall 'n' install some software for background checks and shit. Train one of your boys on how to use it."

He nodded in approval. "Viruses? Anything bad?"

"Nah. Lots of stupid shit from porn sites. One tracking one, but it was weak. Got rid of it easily, someone over at the Alameda Sheriff's department was a little lazy with it. Plus, 's not like you were doing any illegal shit on here and there's no camera," he explained, gesturing to the screen.

Marcus rubbed at his chin. " _Should_ we have a camera?"

"Absolutely not," he stated definitively. "Too easy to hack into and turn on. Both the mic and camera. Now _that_ shit can get you in trouble."

"That Alameda virus…"

"Gone. With the firewall I'm about to put up, ain't no one gettin' into your shit," Juice assured him with confidence.

Marcus nodded in approval, patting his shoulder. "Good work, Tonto."

He cringed at the nickname, but bit his tongue; it was the first nice thing Marcus had said to him. " _Gracias_ ," he said, smirking at Marcus' eyebrow raise. "Been tryin' to learn some Spanish. Ang is teachin' Eves, which is gonna be trouble for me when Eves is older."

He chuckled, shaking his head at him. "Don't matter what language, those girls are gonna gang up on you eventually. Trust me. I got two of 'em too."

It was then that Rafael came running in looking a little pale. "Marcus, we problems," he said, out of breath and looking a little worried. "Niners…"

" _Espera_ ," he interjected, holding up a hand and nodding towards Juice. ( _Wait.)_

Juice quickly scooped the laptop off the table. "I'll go over to the office. Let you guys sort it out."

"Nah, man. It involves you too. Niners took Dia. Went after Tessa and Eves too _pero_ Lino and Soli got 'em before they could reach," Raffa got out quickly.

"What?" Juice breathed, his heart pounding in his chest. They went after his daughter. He'd been out of Charming, out of the outlaw lifestyle for three _years_ , and yet, Evie was still in danger.

Marcus hid his panic easily, a calm look on his face. " _Que paso?_ " ( _What happened?)_

"I dunno _pero_ they're on their way here. Got the rest of 'em callin' all the _Viejas_ and family to get here. Need to lock 'em down for the night," Raffa explained, running his hands through his hair. He nodded to Juice. "Lino's callin' Angela right now. Gettin' her ass over here too."

Juice nodded, still trying to process everything. "Yeah, good."

As if on cue, Lino came in, Tessa in his arms, Soli and Evie trailing behind them. Evie reached for him the minute she saw him. "Daddy!"

He ran to her, taking her from Soli and holding her close. She was still shaking a little, tears falling down her cheeks. He kissed her temple, rocking her gently. "You're safe, baby. Daddy's here. You okay?"

"S-Soli saved me. The bad man came and Soli grabbed me," she cried, her face buried in his neck.

Juice looked up to meet Soli's gaze. She was a pretty woman. Dark hair, dark eyes not unlike Angela. She was a little shorter, though, and wore a lot more makeup. There was a nervous look on her face as she took a step away from him, as if she were afraid she'd over stepped her boundaries. He nodded to her in greeting. "Thank you. I'm…"

"Juan. I know," she replied with a little smirk. She looked him over for a moment. "Ang always got the best lookin' guys. Bet you know who I am too."

"You're the person who saved my daughter," he told her, running his hand over Evie's hair. "That's all that matters."

Soli sighed softly, looking a little more relaxed. "Thanks."

Lino walked over, Tessa's hand in his. "Tessa's got a plate number 'n' I'm about to call your girl. Get her over here."

"I can…"

"Nah. You'll freak her out. Let me do it. You take Tessa, see if you can track the plate."

"Yeah." Juice shifted Evie to balance her on his hip before holding his hand out to Tessa. He knew Lino had other shit to take care of, and he wasn't going to be much help with Tessa clinging to him. "C'mere Tess, we'll go find that plate."

Tessa looked unsure; she hadn't known him long enough to trust him. Lino squatted down in front of her. "Juan's a good guy, T. He knows how to do this computer magic that will help us find your Mama, right?"

He nodded, getting down to Tessa's level too, despite Evie weighing heavily on his shoulder. "That's right. You can watch me do it too."

She looked over at Marcus, watching him pace the floor while talking in furious Spanish on the phone. "Okay," she replied, putting her hand in Juice's. "I remembered the plate."

"That's great, Tess," Juice exclaimed, standing up. "C'mon, let's see what we can find."

* * *

Angela's blood ran cold as she listened to Lino describe what happened. Her daughter had been in danger, and she hadn't been there to help her. She looked over at Chloe, her heart beating fast in her chest. They'd gone out for lunch, but after hearing her daughter had almost been kidnapped, she wasn't hungry. "Chlo, I gotta get to Oakland," she said, already pushing away from the table. "Something happened and I…I…gotta go."

"Woah. Calm down. What happened?" Chloe asked, eyes wide.

"I can't…can't tell you here. I need to get to Evie. Now," she replied, her hands shaking as she dug through her purse for her keys.

Chloe stood too, walking around the table to get to her. She set her hand on her shoulder. "Hey, relax. Breathe. You shouldn't be driving like this. You're gonna hurt yourself and the baby."

Angela raked her hands through her hair, willing to do anything as long as Chloe let her leave. She needed to get to her daughter. Evie wasn't used to this kind of danger; she'd never had to experience it. "Yeah, fine, whatever. Let's go."

"Breathe, Ang. You need to calm down," she tried, practically running to keep up with Angela.

She pulled at the passenger's door of Chloe's car, desperate to get inside it and just leave. "C'mon, Chlo! Now!"

Chloe started up the car, pulling out of the little diner parking lot. "Where am I going?"

"Mayan clubhouse," she said, twisting at her ring nervously. At the nurse's questioning look, she explained, "Dia and Lino and his girl took Tess and Eves to some carnival today. Apparently, someone took Dia at gunpoint there. Was gonna take Evie and Tess too, but Soli and Lee got 'em first. Juice is already there, but I…"

"You need to be there too. Got it. Just put it in here, so you don't gotta worry about directing me," Chloe stated, handing her the phone so she could type in the address for the GPS.

Angela nodded, thankful for the idea. Her mind was a total wreck; there was no way she was goi ng to be able to focus on giving her directions and try to keep calm. She typed the address in and cursed. "Its fuckin' backed up. There's an accident or some shit. We're takin' the long way. Said it'll be shorter time wise."

"Yeah, good call," she agreed, pressing on the accelerator and heading in the direction the phone told her to go. She reached out a hand, patting hers lovingly. "Evie's okay, Ang. She's with her Daddy. No safer place for her."

"I know," she breathed, sniffling a bit. "Dia…she's strong and I know she can handle…anything, but…this is big. They _kidnapped_ her. Who knows what they're doing to her and why or even who did it!"

Chloe nodded in response, squeezing her hand. "But you guys have the best hacker on your side, don't you?"

"Yeah," she answered distractedly. She raked her hands through her hair, fighting back tears. "Chlo, this is why we left Charming to begin with. To keep my kids safe."

"They _are_ safe. This wasn't about you or Juice, this was about Alvarez and the Mayans."

Angela wasn't convinced though. She sat back, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. "Doesn't matter. It still happened. Shit like this always happens," she muttered, shaking her head. "Should've never come back."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "But you did. No changing that now. And at least now Juice is here to help. Without him, those Mayans wouldn't have a prayer in finding Dia. You know that."

"Hmm," she hummed, not willing to agree with her. She stared at the scenery around them, focusing on the trees as they flew by. Chloe's phone started ringing, an unknown number flashing across the screen. "Hap?"

"Probably. You can answer it."

Angela slid her finger across the screen and greeted the person on the other end. Hap's gruff voice came in reply. "The fuck are you guys?" he demanded.

"On our way to Oakland because some assholes tried to take my kid," Angela replied smoothly. "What's going on?"

"Turn around. Get to the clubhouse. If these assholes are after women, you two ain't safe."

"No way. I'm not goin' anywhere near your damn clubhouse. I'm goin' to my kid. She needs me," she stated stubbornly. Her eyes flitted to the rearview mirror as the sound of a motorcycle filled the air. It whipped past them, and she rolled her eyes at the crotch rocket. She wasn't a fan of the sportier looking motorcycles; it'd always been about Harleys for her.

"That a bike?"

"Yeah. There's another one comin' up next to us," she said, suddenly on high alert. She looked over her shoulder, panicking when she saw the a black van pulling up behind them. "Shit."

"What?"

"We got two slant bikes surroundin' us and a black van tailing us. Last mile marker I saw was twenty-six. The plate is 6U-"

A gunshot sounded and the car jerked sideways as the tire blew. Chloe overcorrected, sending the car straight into a telephone pole. Angela felt the force of the impact go through her body, felt the airbags go off around her. "Fuck," she groaned, grabbing for the door handle. "Chlo? We gotta get outta here. Gotta run."

She groaned in response, starting to move when they heard the footsteps. " 'm tryin'. Seatbelt's stuck."

"Shit," Angela muttered, struggling with her seatbelt as her world started to blur. It was getting harder for her to breathe, hard for her to think. She saw the gloved hands reach into the car, grabbing Chloe cutting her seatbelt and hauling her out.

"Hey! Let go of me! Stop! Angela!" Chloe screamed, kicking out her legs and doing her best to get away from whoever grabbed her. "Stop! You gotta get her help! She's pregnant! She's-"

The man jerked her around. "Who is she?"

"A-a nurse from St. Thomas, but you gotta help her. _Please_ ," she begged, trying to buy herself some time.

Angela closed her eyes, doing her best to breathe, but it was becoming harder with each attempt. Something was wrong. "Chlo…" she rasped.

"Leave her! We only want this one!" a man shouted. "She either dies here or at our place. Leave her here. Give the Sons somethin' to find."

"No! Ang!" Chloe shouted, struggling against her captors. "Angela!"

That's when she heard the car doors slam shut, the engines start up again as they drove away. "Hap?" she rasped into the phone, hoping he was still on the line.

"It's Tig, doll. Hap and the boys are on their way. You okay?"

"Can't…breathe," she told him, tears stinging her eyes with every breath. This was not how she wanted to go out; her kids needed her, _Juice_ needed her. "Tell…Juice…love him."

"You tell him yourself, baby girl. You're gonna be fine, okay? The boys'll be right there. Stay on the line and keep breathin' for me. You got this. Just hold on."

* * *

 **Dun Dun duuuuuuun. The plot thickens... ;)**

 **Tried my hand at some action. We'll see where it leads. (I mean, I know, but...it'll be a fun ride.)**

 **As always, please let me know what you think! I promise I won't take so long to update the next one!**

 **Happy Holidays everyone!**

 **~Love Ink**


	9. Lucky

**Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2017 brings you all a lot of love and laughter! :)**

 **Sorry this took me so long to post, but thank you all for sticking with me and for your awesome reviews! I got back to most of you, but thanks also to: _bethie86, Guest 1, Lyla (_** _Your review made me laugh out loud!), **Guest 2, Sabrina, Guest 3, and Guest 4!**_

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 9: Lucky_

 _By Love Ink_

Happy sped down the road counting the mile markers as he went, thankful Angela had thought to tell them exactly where they were when they got run off the road. He spotted the skid marks just beyond the mile marker and stopped his Dyna, jumping off of it and running towards the crash site. The car was still smoking, flames licking at the hood. As he neared, he could hear Angela's ragged breathing over the cackling fire. He ran to the driver's side, ripping open the door to find his cousin still inside, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe. "Hap," she wheezed, coughing a bit as she reached out a hand to him. "Can't…seatbelt…"

"Got you, kid. Hold on," he assured her, assessing the situation. Her skin was pale, lips quickly turning blue. There wasn't much blood on her which scared him. Visible injuries were easily fixed with some stitches and bandages; internal injuries were something no one in his club was equipped to handle. Taking out his bowie knife, he cut the seatbelt off of her and carefully scooped her out of the car, carrying her as far away from it as he could. Angela's breathing was getting worse as her eyes slid closed, her body becoming limp in his arms. "Angela! Open your eyes for me, c'mon!" he shouted at her, trying to get her to open her eyes again, panic filling him. If he lost her this way, he'd never forgive himself. Her eyes opened just barely, a soft groan escaping her lips. "Good. Stay with me, kid. You're okay."

Chibs ran over to him, a concerned look on his scarred face. "What's happenin'?"

"She can't breathe," he explained, slowly lowering her to the ground at Chibs' direction. "She's not bleedin' just…"

The Scot gently pulled up her shirt, carefully probing over her ribs before grimacing. "Must be a lung collapse. Need some kinda straw."

Happy hesitated, not wanting to leave his cousin's side. Thankfully, Quinn heard Chibs' instructions and went to go get what he requested. Meanwhile, Chibs pulled a flask from inside his cut, opening it and pouring the whiskey inside onto her skin and the knife to sanitize them. Quinn came back with Chloe's reusable plastic cup, screwing open the cap and pulling out the plastic straw. Chibs sanitized it too before kneeling down next to Angela, feeling along her ribs again. " 'm gonna make a cut, put the straw in. Should relieve some pressure, get her breathin' again."

Happy brushed the hair away from her face, holding tightly to her hand as he nodded in understanding. "C'mon, kid," he said, focused on her face instead of what Chibs was doing.

He heard a hiss of air before blood came pouring out of her side, she gasped, coughing a bit as she came to. Chibs cursed under his breath, shaking his head at amount of blood still coming out of the incision. "Think it's punctured," he explained with a grim look. "We gotta get her to the hospital. Now."

Happy looked down at his little cousin, slowly getting to his feet with her in his arms. "Breathe, kid. You're okay. Gonna get you to St. Thomas. Just hold on."

She grasped at his t-shirt with a bloodied hand tugging it to get him to look down at her. "Hap, 'm…"

"Best not to talk righ' now, love," Chibs said, still looking nervous. He met Happy's gaze. "This isn't good, brotha. Get her in the van. We gotta get her to the hospital 'fore she bleeds out."

Happy nodded, carrying her towards the van, thankful someone had thought to bring it. He climbed in, holding her on his lap. "You're okay, kid. Just breathe," he said, leaning over to kiss her forehead. He could feel the warmth of her blood as it soaked through his pants and knew whatever was going on with her wasn't good. "Stay with me, kid. Please."

She grabbed for his hand, squeezing it tightly as tears leaked from her eyes. There was something she wanted to say, and he knew she wouldn't stop trying until she got it out. He leaned in closer to her, putting his ear closer to her lips. " 'm pregnant," she wheezed, her dark eyes filled with fear as he pulled away.

Happy cursed quietly under his breath, thankful it was Quinn behind the wheel of the van and not Chibs. "All right, kid," he murmured, kissing her forehead. " 'm a take care of you. Don't worry. I got you. You're gonna be okay."

Quinn looked over his shoulder. "Was she drivin' alone, Hap?"

"What?" he demanded, more concerned about his little cousin than whatever bullshit question Quinn had.

"Ang. Was she alone?"

Happy felt a new wave of anger roll over him at the realization that Angela wasn't the only one of his girls who'd been hurt. Chloe had been the driver and by the looks of it, whoever had taken Alvarez's Old Lady had gone after his as well. Whoever it was had signed their own death certificate when they went after his family. They were all going to die. Like a lot.

* * *

Tig watched Chibs pace back and forth in the hospital hallway from the doorway of the small St. Thomas waiting room. While Chibs, Hap, and Quinn had gone out to find Angela, he'd made sure to call Kenny and Ellie to get them down to the hospital. They'd gotten there in minutes with Bones and Jazzy in tow. Now Bones and Ken were working on seeing if any traffic cameras caught the guys who'd taken Chloe while Ellie had taken Jazzy down to the cafeteria to explain the situation to her. The poor girl had looked like a deer in headlights when she'd walked into the room filled with outlaw bikers.

Happy was outside, going through pack after pack of cigarettes as he waited for news of any kind either about Angela or Chloe. His pants, shirt, and cut were covered with blood, but he refused to leave the hospital no matter how hard Chibs pushed him to go get cleaned up. The farthest he'd go was outside the front doors for a smoke or up to the fourth floor to visit with his mother.

The only people missing were Angela's husband and daughter, Tig realized with a grimace. He knew Evie was safe with the Mayans, but Juice was probably still in Texas, completely clueless to what was going on with his girls in California. He had to call him. It wasn't right for him to be so far away while his wife's life was in danger. He needed to be there for her and his family. "Shit," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. Clearing his throat, he stepped in Chibs' path. "Need to talk to ya."

Chibs gave him a quizzical look but stopped pacing, eyebrows raised. "Now's not a great time, Tiggy."

"Hear me out. This is some big shit," he insisted, scratching nervously at his eyebrow. "There's somethin' I gotta tell ya, and it ain't gonna make sense, but just hear me out, all right?"

He cocked his head to the side curiously. "All right."

"Angie…she's pregnant again," he explained, wondering if he was making the right choice in telling him.

Chibs paled a little bit, running a hand through his hair. "No shite," he scoffed with a small smile. He let it sink in for a moment before asking, "Who's the lucky father?"

Tig shifted awkwardly, knowing this was the right decision even if it could possibly damn him. "Juice."

A flicker of hope briefly passed over Chibs' face. He tilted his head to the side as if he were unsure if he'd heard him right. "Tha's not possible. Juice is gone, brotha. Ye killed him yerself. This some kinda turkey baster baby?"

He shook his head slowly. "Nah. Its legit. I never went through with the hit. There was no Mayhem vote or anythin'. Didn't feel right, taking a Dad away from his daughter like that, 'specially after everythin' that happened with Ope so...I let him go."

Chibs leaned back against the wall, looking a little impressed with him. "Shit, Tiggy," he said, shaking his head. "Tha's a bold move."

"Too many brothers dyin'. Didn't seem fair he didn't get his day at the table," he admitted with a shrug. "You've seen that little girl. I didn't want to be the guy to take her Daddy away. Wasn't right."

"No, t'wasn't," he agreed, nodding his head. He took a minute to consider the new information before sighing. "He want back in?"

"Nah. Tats are blacked 'n' everythin'. But his girl needs him," he explained, hoping it was enough. "His _family_ needs him."

Chibs scratched at his chin as he considered it. "Have to take it to the table. We gotta get right on this 'fore we make decisions. I'm not Jax. Not going over everyone's heads 'cause I think its right."

Now that was an answer he could handle. Chibs didn't seem all that upset with him; in fact, he seemed happy with his decision. Sure, it'd been Hap's final decision, but he was willing to take the fall for it if it came to that, though it didn't seem like it would. "All right. What's next then?"

"Dunno. Never sat well with me the way things ended with Juicy-boy. Not gonna welcome him with open arms, but he needs to be here for his girls. I get that," he answered vaguely. "I'll call the rest of 'em. Vote on it tonight."

"Thanks, brotha," Tig replied as they exchanged a manly hug. "I'll get Ken to give me his number and get him over here. But you gotta get out. He won't want to see ya. Ang neither."

"Aye. Suppose saving her life ain't enough to put me in her good graces," Chibs joked, looking disappointed. Tig knew he'd been doing his best to get in on Angela's good side, but it didn't seem to be working. From what he knew, the bruise that was just starting to darken around Chibs' eye was Angela's handiwork.

"Not for her. That's a grudge she ain't gonna let go," he agreed, laughing a bit. "Might be easier to get Juicy to forgive ya in this case."

Chibs sighed, shaking his head. "We'll see abou' tha'. Yer vote for Mayhem, yay or nay?"

He took in a deep breath, relishing in the fact that he could vote without any consequences. Chibs never threatened to hang him out to dry for his transgressions like Jax had. With him at the head of the table, he finally got an honest vote. He shook his head. "Nay," he answered with a smirk. Chibs was only asking to make it official; a Mayhem vote was not going to be unanimous meaning Juice was safe no matter what.

"Good. Then its settled," he said, slapping Tig on the back.

"This gonna blow back on me, Pres?"

Chibs considered the question for a moment before shaking his head slowly. "Don't think so, Tiggy. Think we got bigger shite to worry about than what happened in the past."

"Yeah." He let out a sigh of relief, nodding his head in agreement. "I'ma see if I can get Ken to give me his number."

"Aye. I'll check on Hap. Make sure he hasn't killed anyone."

"Good call," he stated, patting Chibs' shoulder lovingly. Once he was gone, Tig headed back into the waiting room, throwing himself into the chair next to Kenny. "You got Juice's number handy?"

Kenny looked up at him with the same hazel eyes as Opie's sending a chill down Tig's spine. It was almost like he was looking at his old friend again. "Already called my Dad. He's on his way. Apparently, the same assholes that got Chlo scooped up Alvarez's Old Lady too. Almost got his kid and Evie along with 'em. Ellie's reaching out to Lyla now. You should call V."

Tig panicked briefly; he hadn't even considered that the men who'd run Angela and Chloe off the road would go after Venus. "I'm already here, Alexander," Venus' heavily accented voice came as she strode into the small living room. "Was here giving dear sweet Elena a much needed manicure when Chibs came in and told me I was needed down here. Now, _what_ is going on?"

He let out a sigh of relief, going over and pulling Venus into him in a crushing hug. "Jesus Christ, baby. Scared the shit out of me for a second there," he murmured before pulling away.

Venus' pretty eyes searched his for a moment. "Why? What in the Lord's name is happening here?" she asked, looking over at Kenny instead. "Kenneth?"

"My mom and Chloe got run off the road," he explained dismally. "Over in Oakland, someone nabbed Alvarez's Old Lady and almost got his kid and Eves in the process. They're all fine, though."

"Oh my word," Venus breathed, pressing a hand to her heart. "And your Mama? Is she all right now? What about Miss Chloe?"

"Looks like they grabbed Chloe but decided to leave Ang for dead," Tig answered on a frown. "She's in surgery now. Juice is on his way."

Venus nodded slowly, processing it all. "And with those ladies being taken, you were worried about little ole me?"

Tig nodded, smiling just a little. They'd been together for a year or two now, and she still doubted how much he cared for her. "Of course, baby. I always worry about you."

She gave him a quick kiss before reaching a hand out to ruffle Kenny's hair. "And you, sweetheart? You all right?"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, at least they didn't take her, right? Her and Eves, they're safe. I mean, she's hurt but…she's gonna pull through, right?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Venus draped an arm over his shoulders, squeezing his shoulder gently. "I know she will, sugar. She's too strong to give into this nonsense. She'll come back ready to kick some ass."

* * *

Juice barely saw the town around him as Lino sped through it. On a normal day, he would've been on the verge of an anxiety attack at being in Charming again, but he had bigger things to worry about now. He wasn't afraid of the club or what they would do to him, he was afraid he was going to lose his _wife_. He looked over his shoulder, thankful that Evie was still asleep in her carseat. As soon as he'd heard what happened to Angela, he'd bolted from the Mayan clubhouse with Marcus' blessing. The Mayan President told Lino to go along with him, making sure he knew that if any Son were to get in his way, they'd have to deal with the Mayans. Lino may not be the most intimidating of Mayans, but he knew the threat from Marcus wouldn't go unheeded. Chibs might be an asshole, but he wasn't stupid enough to piss off the Mayans. Not when they had an enemy in common.

Lino pulled into the parking lot, stopping in front of the front doors. "You go. I'll get Evie. Take her to Lena's room," he offered, his eyes flitting to the rearview to check on her too.

"Thanks," he replied, jumping out of the car. He ran into the hospital, going straight for the front desk. "Hi. Angela Ortiz, please. I'm her husband and she's supposed to be in surgery, I guess."

"Graci's girl. Right. She just got out of surgery," the nurse replied with a warm smile before she told him the room number.

Juice said a quick 'thank you' before running for the stairs. He took them two at a time, his heart in his throat. He didn't bother checking in on the waiting room, deciding to run right passed it to her room. Sucking in a deep breath, he pushed open the door. The sight before him left him feeling like he couldn't breathe. Angela was lying in the stark white bed hooked up to all sorts of machines, one in her nose, an IV in her arm, and something coming out of her chest. "Jesus Christ, Angel," he rasped, taking a step closer. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Assholes ran her off the road," Hap's rough voice filled in from where he was seated in the corner of the room. "Grabbed Chloe. Left her there. We got shit goin' with the Chinese and Marks' crew. Dunno which one went after 'em."

His thoughts went to what happened earlier that day with Dia. There was a trend going on there, and he wondered if the same people were responsible for what had happened to Angela and Chloe. Just like that, he was write back into intelligence officer mode, trying to piece things together with what little knowledge he had. He rubbed his fingers over the big black square over his arm, reminding himself that this wasn't his life anymore. Whatever was going on with the Sons was none of his business. "Right," he breathed, looking back at Angela again. "Doctor's say anythin' about her?"

"She told me she's pregnant. Kid could barely breathe, but she got that shit out. Didn't want anythin' to hurt the baby," he rasped, running a hand over his face. "Just got outta surgery a minute ago. Told Doc's to hold up on an update 'til you got here. Wouldn't tell me shit anyway. Should be one coming."

Juice nodded, letting out a long breath. He finally tore his eyes off of Angela to look at Hap. The older man's clothes were covered in blood, some of it streaking over his arms and hands, crusted along his rings. "What happened to you?"

" 's hers," he explained on a grim frown.

A lump formed in his throat as he looked at the amount of blood on Happy and back at Angela. "Holy shit," he breathed, his eyes searching for any sign of injury. "But she's not..."

"Chest was fillin' up with blood. Chibs drained what he could, but he ain't trained for surgery. If he wasn't there, we'da lost her."

Juice felt like he was going to be sick at the mention of his former brother. _Chibs_ had been the one to save her? Chibs, the man who'd wanted him dead, had saved his wife? The idea that he'd had his hands on her, even if it was to save her life, made his stomach churn. "Does he...does he know?"

" 'bout you?" he asked, waiting until Juice nodded before answering, "Yeah. Tig told 'im to stay away. He got our proxys for the Mayhem vote already."

He felt like he couldn't breathe for a moment. His fate had already been sealed. Was Happy there to carry through with it? Had he just been stalling to give him a few minutes with Angela before finishing him off? " _And_?"

"Hasn't been voted yet, but it ain't gonna be unanimous," he replied as if it weren't a big deal.

Juice sat down on the edge of Angela's bed feeling numb to it all. It could've so easily gone the other way. "Shit," he breathed. "You?"

"Me 'n' Tig, Quinn too, probably," he rattled off on a shrug. He pushed himself out of the chair, setting a heavy hand on Juice's shoulder. "You're safe here. Ain't no one gonna touch you. Focus on her now. She needs ya."

"Yeah, right," he rasped, feeling like a weight had slid off his shoulders. "Thanks."

Happy squeezed his shoulder. "Yeah. Take care a her."

"Always," he replied, reaching out to grab Angela's hand. "Wash up 'fore you go to check on your Ma. Eve's is there. You'll scare the shit outta her with all that blood. She's had enough to deal with for today."

He sighed, running a hand over his face. "Yeah."

"And Hap?" he said, catching his attention again. "I'm gonna find Chlo. Promise you that. I got a lead on Dia, and I'm willing to bet the same assholes that took her, went after Chloe."

A look of appreciation passed over Happy's face as he nodded again. "Thanks, brotha."

Juice nodded back before turning to face Angela again as the door closed behind Happy. He leaned forward to tuck a stray hair behind Angela's hair, letting his fingers linger on her soft cheek. "Hey baby," he murmured, leaning in to press his lips to hers. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest when his nose bumped into the tube in hers. A tube that was helping her breathe. "I love you. So much. Please be okay. Eves and Ken need you. _I_ need you. Please just...wake up for me."

* * *

Through the fog of the anesthesia, Angela could hear the loving tone of Juice's voice before she could understand what he was saying. With her eyes closed, she let the sound of it soothe her, draw her deeper into her slumber, fighting against the reality that would hit her when she opened her eyes. She liked this state of relaxation, it was so peaceful. His touch came next, the soft warmth radiating from the rough skin of his fingertips felt like heaven. His words became clear as the fog began to wear off. "Please just...wake up for me. Tell me you're okay."

"Juice," she moaned, slowly opening her eyes to find his eyes staring right back at her, wide with worry.

"Hey baby," he greeted on a breath of relief. His hands framed her face, thumbs stroking over her cheeks as tears filled his eyes. "Hey. How are you? Are you okay?"

Angela smiled at his concern, moving her free hand to brush away a stray tear that'd slipped down his cheek. "I'm fine, baby."

He touched his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. "You scared the shit outta me."

"Can't get rid of me that easy, goof," she murmured, knowing exactly how he was feeling; she'd been in his shoes many times before. Her mind went back to what had happened to put her in that hospital, and she panicked, her heart beat monitor beeping loudly as she sat up. "Shit! Where's Chloe? Did you find her? Is she okay?"

"Easy, Angel. Easy, breathe, baby," he coaxed, stroking her cheek softly. "We're lookin' for her. Her and Dia. Got a good lead, though. I'll find 'em. Got my laptop here, so I don't gotta go anywhere. Just breathe. Relax."

She let out a long breath, relaxing back into the bed with a wince. "Shit," she groaned, moving a hand to her side.

He slapped her hand away before she could touch whatever was protruding from between her ribs. "Don't. You got some kind of boob tube," he said, grimacing with her. He sat down by her hip, a worried look on his face.

A light laugh escaped her hold, making her wince again. "That is _not_ what its called."

"It's a drainage tube," Graciela said from the doorway. "Your rib pierced your lung making it collapse and the doctors had to do surgery to fix it. _Que paso, mijita_? Where were you going? Driving like a maniac, I'm sure. And in your condition?" She clucked her tongue and shook her head. " _Sin verguenza_. You could've died!" ( _What happened?...Shameless)_

Angela stared at her mother in disbelief. She'd just been in a horrible accident, and she was _lecturing_ her. "But I didn't," she muttered, dropping a hand to her lower belly. She'd been so worried about Chloe, she'd forgotten about the little being inside of her. Her heart rate kicked up a again, making the monitors beep a little faster. "Mama, what about the baby? I didn't..."

Graciela moved to stand by her bed, reaching out a hand and smoothing her daughter's hair down lovingly. She grabbed one of her hands and one of Juice's hands, giving them both a squeeze. "I'll tell you something," she said, a hint of excitement in her voice. "We have twins in our family, _sabias_? My Mama was a twin and you, Juancito, your sister has twins, does she not?"

Juice nodded, his eyes already wide in surprise as he met Angela's gaze. "Graci..."

"And you, _mijita_ , are strong like your Papi," she stated with a warm smile. "A Ruiz. _Y ahora_ an Ortiz, which means you're even stronger because from what I've heard about you, Juan, you're a strong one, too. Which means your babies, the two of 'em are going to be strong like their sister. _Te prometo_." _(And now...I promise)_

"Twins," Angela managed to say around a laugh.

Juice laughed with her, his hand settling on her stomach. "Holy shit, Angel," he breathed, his eyes wide with happiness.

Graciela grinned, leaning over to kiss Angela's head before moving to kiss Juice's cheek. "Congratulations, you two. I love you both, even though you took my grandbabies away to a different state. I'll always love you."

Angela rolled her eyes at her mother's dramatics. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Love you too, Mama."

"You take care of my grandtwins," she told Juice, sticking a well manicured finger in his face. "I'll be checking in on you periodically. Don't move too much or you'll pull that tube right out and that's very messy. Are you in a lot of pain, _mija_? You're due for more medicine. The babies will be safe with it, don't worry."

"I'm okay, I think. It just hurts a little," she lied. Now that the initial anesthesia had worn off, her side was throbbing, but she could deal.

Graciela chuckled, going over to the machine that administered the medicine. "So more medicine," she stated, pressing the right button. She looked over at Juice and winked. "When she says a little, it means a lot. Trust me. She thinks not admitting it makes her look tough like her _primo_ _pero_ it doesn't. Just makes you stupid for suffering for no reason. You'll thank me for this later, _mija_." With that, she turned and walked out the door as if she hadn't just called her 'stupid'.

Juice waited until she left before leaning in closer. "I always think you look tough," he confided, kissing her cheek. " 'specially now that you got _two_ babies growin' inside of you."

"Twins, Juice," she told him excitedly.

"I _told_ you I have a magic penis."

Angela laughed, wincing when it tugged at the tube in her side. " _I've_ always thought so," she murmured, reaching out to grab his shirt. " _Beso_."

He leaned in and kissed her again just as she requested. "Kiss you all you want. Nose tube and all."

She smiled, relaxing back into the pillows with a soft sight. "Where are our other kiddos?"

"Ken and Eves are downstairs with Lena and Lino and the rest of the Scooby gang," he answered, playing with her fingers. "Hap, Quinn, and Tig are watchin' them. Makin' sure whoever went after Dia and Chlo doesn't go for them."

Angela closed her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. "Lyla and Venus protected?"

"Not sure about Lyla, but Venus is here."

"Good. How's our baby? She's had a crazy day, huh?"

Juice sighed softly, shaking his head. "Monk's okay, I think. Cried a lot, wouldn't let me go 'til she fell asleep," he told her, swallowing hard. "Tessa didn't even bat a fuckin' eye. Had the plate memorized, no tears."

For some reason, hearing about Tessa's reaction made her sadder than hearing about her daughter's. "She's been trained. Eve hasn't. We've had her in her safe little bubble where nothing bad happens."

"Guess it popped today, huh?" he asked, his eyes filled with regret. Since the day she was conceived, Evie had been neck deep in club shit. She'd had to go through the whole drama with Mel, Juice trying to kill himself, the clubhouse being bombed, and the club killing her dad. There wasn't a moment in her early years that wasn't rife with chaos. But they'd gotten out before she could remember any of it. Now, they were back, and she'd been thrown into it all again, unprepared for how to deal with it. Juice squeezed her hand, bringing her out of her thoughts. "She'll be okay, though. She's strong, like her Mama."

Angela knew he was trying to comfort her, but it didn't do much. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the moment they'd been run off the road. The impact, the smell of gas and fire, feeling like she couldn't breathe, Chibs' scarred face hovering over her as he helped save her life. She remembered every moment of it. "I forgot how dangerous this place was," she admitted, feeling her eyelids grow heavy as the machine she was hooked up to gave her another dose of pain meds. "Should've never come back."

"Can't say I don't agree with you there."

She squeezed his hand, tugging it gently. " 'm glad you're here, though," she divulged around a yawn. "Missed you so much when we were apart. Thought I was gonna die 'n' all I could think of was you. I love you. Do you know that? Do I tell you that enough?"

She could see the tears brimming his eyes as he nodded, leaning forward to put his lips against hers in a sweet kiss. "I know, baby. Don't always understand why but I know you do," he rasped, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I love you too. More than anything."

"I know. I'm tired, baby," she slurred, the drugs taking effect faster than she expected. She grabbed at the collar of his shirt, tugging gently, wanting him to move closer. She needed to feel his body against hers, his arms wrapped around her, holding her close, keeping her safe. " 'n' you're too far away."

Nodding, he stretched out next to her, careful not to mess with any of the things she was hooked up to. "Better?"

She started to shift to snuggle in closer, but a tug at her side made her wince. "Ow," she groaned, pouting a bit. "My boob tube."

She could feel Juice's chuckle against her as he sidled in closer. "Don't move. I got you, baby. I'm right here," he murmured, shifting around her so she was leaning into him. He moved an arm around her shoulders and played with her hair. "You're safe now, Angel. Not gonna let anythin' happen to you or our little bugs. I got you."

She smiled, finally closing her eyes as she leaned, breathing in his comforting scent. " 'm so lucky."

* * *

Chloe fought the urge to curse as the men who'd taken her grabbed her by the arms and lifted her out of the shitty van they'd taken her in. The bag they'd placed over her head blocked her from seeing anything. She didn't fight against them, knowing it was best not to piss them off. Happy had taught her that. Remain calm until an opportunity arises. No need to piss them off unnecessarily. She walked with them, mentally keeping a tally of the route it took to get to wherever they were taking her, down to how many steps between turns, how many stairs they went down.

The air turned cold and stale, the smell of a familiar perfume hung in the air, making her heartbeart kick up a notch. She knew that sickly sweet, cotton-candy scented perfume. _Lyla._ The men pulled the bag off her head, pushing her into some kind of concrete room and latching a cuff around her wrist before leaving, slamming the door behind them.

Chloe tugged on the metal cuff, following the chain that was hanging off of it to where it was anchored in the wall. The cuff and chains looked relatively new, though she couldn't help but notice the dried blood stuck to the chain. "Gross," she muttered, pulling her eyes away from it to assess the rest of her surroundings. She saw Lyla's still form in the corner and her stomach flipped. "Holy shit! Lyla!"

"She's out cold, _pobrecita_ ," a voice said from the other side of the room. Chloe squinted her eyes, trying to see better in the faint light. There was an older woman sitting on the floor against the wall, her legs straightened in front of her, perfectly manicured hands set atop pristine dark jeans, the cuff on her wrist looking more like a fashion accessory than anything. She was the picture of calm and ease despite being in a cold makeshift jail cell. "They brought her in here like that. Mentioned something about some chemical."

"They _drugged_ her?" Chloe questioned in disbelief.

The woman nodded slowly. "When you fight back, they fight back. Best not to unless you know you can win _pero_ you knew that. She did not," she stated as if they'd known each other for years.

"What?"

"You walked in on your own. No struggling, no cursing, quiet. Someone trained you well," she explained on a shrug. "Which Son belongs to you?"

The way she worded her question intrigued Chloe; this was obviously a woman well versed in the club, yet she didn't see herself or other Old Ladies as property. It seemed the reverse was true, in fact. "I'm with Happy," she answered, feeling weird saying he belonged to her. Happy Lowman belonged to no one.

"Ah, so you're the nurse I've heard so much about. _Angelita_ talks a lot about you, _mija_. Says you're one of her best friends. Godmother to my granddaughter," she commented on a warm smile. "Nice to finally meet you, _mija_. Sorry its under these circumstances, _pero_ what can you do?"

Chloe laughed at how nonchalant the other woman was. Though now it made sense. She was Marcus Alvarez, the Mayan President's wife. No wonder she remained so calm; she knew the drill. Probably had been through it before. "Dia, right? Heard a lot about you too. Angela was worried sick and we were-"

Dia held up a hand, effectively stopping her from continuing. "No talk of the outside. Not now. Now we focus on this and figure out how to get out."

She let out a long breath, nodding in agreement. "Right. Do we even know who has us?"

"Not yet. We will soon, though," she assured her, picking underneath her acrylic nails. "They'll come tell us their plan. They always do."

Chloe smirked. Damn, she was cool; she understood now why Angela held her in such high esteem. "They only have three of us?"

"No. They scooped up a Mayan girl who's been chasing after our VP. They don't have a relationship _pero_ they don't know that," she explained on a facial shrug. "Whatever they're trying to get, they're going to start by using her. Once they realize she's of no use to them, they'll move on to another of us. Make things worse gradually until the Mayans and the Sons have to do what they want. They're a ballsy group, I'll give them that."

"What will they do to the girl?"

Dia's shrugged a shoulder. "We shouldn't worry about it. From the way it looks, we're at the top of the chain. Its why they haven't laid a finger on us other then to take us away. Respect. We're lucky our captors have some sense."

"Lucky." Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes a bit as she took a seat against the wall. She tilted her head back and looked at the dark ceiling. The events of the night before flashed through her head; the sound of Angela's ragged breathing still filling her ears. Closing her eyes, she pushed those thoughts into the back of her head. Dia was right, if she doted too much on those thoughts, she'd crumble. She had to be strong now just like the Mayan Queen was being. "So what do we do?"

"We wait," she answered simply. "Our boys will find us. It might take awhile, but they will come. Have a little faith."

* * *

 **So Juice is in Charming, Chloe's locked up somewhere...lots of drama on the horizon! Stick with me! :)**

 **Thanks for reading! As always let me know what you think. Your reviews make my day!**

 **~Love Ink**


	10. Better

**Thank you for all of you who took the time to read, review, favorite, and follow! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _Sabrina_** (You are too kind! Thank you!), _**Guest 1, Guest 2, and Guest 3.**_

 **This is a shorter, Ortiz-** **centered chapter, but I wanted to keep it as is. The next chapter is already halfway done and will be up sooner than usual! Promise! :)**

 **Big thanks to TeamBlaus4EVER for letting me bounce ideas off of her! She's got a great Juice/OC story!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 10: Better_

 _By Love Ink_

Diana Alvarez was no idiot. She knew they were in deep shit, though she was trying to keep her calm for the frightened nurse and the little blonde who hadn't stopped crying since she woke up. Lupe, the other Mayan girl they'd taken had yet to come back which made her think they were using her for something. But what? The girl didn't know a damn thing. Raffa wasn't stupid enough to spill club secrets to just any girl. Closing her eyes, she stared at the ceiling.

"How'd they get you?" Lyla's voice rasped in the corner.

Chloe sighed softly in response. "Ran me and Ang into a tree. Pulled me out and took me. Left her there."

Dia tried to tune out Chloe's responses, but it was incredibly hard; she loved Angela like a daughter, wanted to know if she was okay especially since she was carrying her granddaughter inside her. She opened an eye to glare across the way at Chloe, willing her to keep quiet, but she had her eyes closed as well and kept talking, "She couldn't breathe when I left her. I think...her lung might've been punctured or something. I told them to get her help, but I...I'm not sure if they did."

"Shit," Lyla muttered, drawing her thin legs up to her chest. "You think she's..."

"She's not," Diana cut her off quickly, finally snapping. She didn't want to hear anymore talk of Angela's fate. "She's strong, smart. She found her way out. Just you wait. You'll see."

Just then the door opened and two men pushed in a sobbing Lupe. She crumbled to the floor, a huge chunk of her hair missing from her head, blood covering her hands. The men dragged her across the floor, clapping the irons around her wrists. Chloe and Lyla stared at her in horror while Diana raised an eyebrow assessing the younger girl. " _Que paso_?" she asked, making no move to go comfort her like the little blonde did. ( _What happened?)_

"Th-they cut _m-mi pelo_ ," Lupe sobbed, reaching up to touch her hair. "And pulled out my nails! My _nails!_ What do they need them for?" _(My hair)_

Diana smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "They're going to send them to the club," she stated with a shake of her head. "A warning."

A deep, sultry laugh came from the doorway. "You are exactly right," a distinctly female voice said from the doorway. The woman did not step forward into the light, though, keeping herself hidden. "This is just a taster. Show 'em what we're capable of 'fore we make our demands. They don't meet 'em, we go a little bigger."

She fought the urge to laugh in response. The woman was crazy if she thought the Mayans would be intimidated by a fake fingernail and a lock of hair. These men were used to receiving severed body parts and heads. "Good luck," she muttered, rolling her eyes. It was her attempt to draw the woman out, to see who they were working with.

"Oh, sweet Miss Alvarez, this is _just_ the beginning."

* * *

Kenny rubbed at his tired eyes as he sat at the cafeteria table in St. Thomas. He'd spent most of the night before huddled in front of a laptop with Bones trying to find any lead they could on Chloe, and he was exhausted. Every time he blinked, he could still see the square of light on the backs of his eyelids. Bones was sitting across from him, staring blankly at the table top, his fingers drumming on it as if he were itching to get back to his laptop. Except that Ellie and Jasmine had decided to force them to take a break and relax a bit. It wasn't helping, though. If anything, Kenny felt more anxious about sitting there doing nothing when there was so much left to do. He'd been so focused on finding the assholes who'd hurt his adopted mom, he hadn't even gone to visit her yet. He'd told himself it was because he was so busy that he hadn't had a chance to, but deep down, he knew it was because he didn't want to see her all laid up in the hospital bed. Didn't want to think of his strong, invincible mom as anything but that. He justified it by thinking he was helping her in a different way, but he knew Angela would be a little disappointed in him for avoiding her.

"I think I can hack into the highway cams. See who was following them," Bones broke through his thoughts around a yawn, his arms crossed on the table top, head pillowed on top of them.

He caught his yawn, covering his mouth as he shook his head. "We _tried_ that. We couldn't get past the government firewall, remember?"

"Mm," Bones grunted, his eyes already closed.

Kenny rolled his eyes at his best friend. Only Bones could fall asleep in the middle of a cafeteria. "Loser," he muttered, fighting against the urge to kick him and wake him up.

Jazzy smiled warmly at him as she set a cup of coffee in front of him. " _You_ should sleep, dude. You're gonna make yourself sick."

"Mmm," he agreed tiredly, moving his arm around her when she sat next to him. "You guys go see Mama Bear?"

Ellie nodded, her fingers playing with Bones' hair as he slept. "She was half-asleep when we got there, Juice snoring next to her. We talked for a bit, but we decided to leave and let her rest. She looks good for someone who was run off the road."

Jazzy sighed softly, a frown on her pretty face. "That's just crazy. Who would do that?"

Kenny and Ellie exchanged a glance, both of them used to this kind of thing happening. Even Bones was familiar with it, but it still was a total shock to Jasmine; poor girl had no idea what she'd gotten herself into. "That's what we're trying to find out," he hedged, shrugging a shoulder. "Where's Eves?"

"Down in Lena's room. She was sleeping when I got there too. All curled up with Lena. So cute," Jazzy replied with another loving smile that made Kenny's heart sputter in his chest. God, he loved this girl. She didn't know what had happened to Evie earlier, and he was doing his best to keep it from her. The less she saw of the outlaw lifestyle, the better.

Kenny nodded, feeling guilty for not going down to check on his little sister. It was all too much for him to handle all at once. He'd thought they'd gotten past all the death and destruction. The idea that it was his fault, that he was the jinx kept circling back to the forefront of his mind. Ellie had assured him Charming was safe. That nothing bad had happened there since Jax had died. Yet, how is it possible that the second he set foot there, his little sister and Mom almost get abducted? It didn't make sense. Why did this shit keep happening to him? "Yeah. Good," he replied distractedly.

Jazzy's hand rubbed up and down his back in a soothing motion. As grateful as he was that she was there, a part of him wished she was back in Texas, safe and sound. If he really was a jinx, he wanted her far, far away from Charming. "You should go see her, Ken," she said, her fingernails raking over the nape of his neck. "She could use her big brother to help explain things to her."

"Yeah," he agreed, fidgeting with the big ring on his finger. His biological dad's ring. Maybe the ring had jinxed him like it had Opie. He slid it off, staring at the tan line it left behind with a frown; his hand felt wrong without it.

"Good to see the Winston clan back together again," Chibs' voice interrupted his thoughts as he neared, a fond smile on his face.

Kenny slid the ring back on, flexing his fingers and extending them before clearing his throat. "Ortiz. I'm not a Winston anymore," he grumbled, looking to pick a fight with anyone. Ellie kicked him under the table, but he didn't give a shit; he was just stating the truth. "What do you want, Chibs?"

"Need a word with the two of yous," he answered, his smile fading slightly. "Got some news."

He was aware of Jazzy's eyes on him as he stood up from the table. He leaned over and dropped a kiss to her forehead before straightening up. At his full height, he was taller than Chibs by a good couple of inches, though that didn't seem to bother the Scot as they walked with him towards the corner of the cafeteria. Of course Chibs wasn't intimidated by his size; he'd dealt with worse enemies in smaller packages. Kenny crossed his arms over his chest, puffing it out slightly to make himself look bigger. "What now?"

Ellie gave him a warning glance, willing him to calm down with her eyes. "Ken…"

Chibs waved off her concern as if he understood why Kenny was acting the way he was. He slid his hands into the front pockets of his cut and sighed. "It's Lyla. Piper went to check on her at Redwoody. It looks like the same van that took Chloe grabbed her too," he explained looking between them.

Ellie gasped softly, raising a hand to run it through her hair. "Goddamn," she whispered, shaking her head.

Maybe it was his lack of sleep or the fact that he was worried beyond belief about his family, but hearing that yet another one of his mother figures had been taken, possibly hurt because of the Sons was the straw the broke the camel's back. Kenny felt the anger descend upon him like an avalanche. Lyla was his stepmother, and he cared about her. Sure, he'd ultimately chosen to go with Angela, but it wasn't because Lyla had treated him badly. On the contrary, she'd done the best she could with what little she had. He loved her because of it. And now she was gone too? Yet another mother the club had taken away from him. "Fuck!" he shouted, kicking his thick boot against the nearest table.

His sister flinched but ignored him and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Security cams got the van leavin'. A partial plate too. Think your nerdy boy can find somethin' on it?" Chibs asked, ignoring Kenny's outburst and nodding over to where Bones was watching them like a hawk, already halfway out of his seat and ready to step in to comfort Ellie.

"Y-yeah, definitely," she mumbled before setting her hand on her brother's arm. "Ken?"

"This is fucked up," Kenny spat, shaking his head. "First Dia, then Chlo and Ang, and now _Lyla_? What more do those fuckers want?"

Chibs set a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Ken. We'll find her."

He stepped away from his grasp, scowling at the Scot. "Fuck that. The Sons can't do shit! Redwoody is supposed to be protected by you guys and look what happens! What the hell is wrong with your damn club?" he asked, his voice a little too loud for the hospital cafeteria. "When are you going to learn to protect your women instead of running around with your heads up your asses and leavin' them vulnerable? Huh? How many of them have to get murdered before you guys learn?"

"Think you should calm down, boy-o. Treading dangerous waters there," Chibs warned, a dark, threatening look in his eyes.

"Or what? What are you gonna do to me, Chibs? I don't have a patch! I don't have to listen to you!" he exclaimed around a laugh.

Ellie grabbed his arm, a sad look in her blue eyes. "Hey Ken! Relax. We don't know that they're dead yet. Just calm down."

"No. This is fucked up, Ellie. Can't you see that?" he asked, feeling a little hysterical. "His club has torn our family apart more times than I can count! Not once have they ever done anything to help us! Not once. So fuck you, Chibs. Fuck you and your dumb club and all the members in it. We're gonna find those women. All of them. Me and Bones using what my _Dad_ taught us before you guys killed him. Because we actually care about our family and keeping them safe."

With that, he turned his back on Chibs, stalking towards the doors to leave. "Your grandfather started this club. Don't ye forget it," Chibs' heavily accented voice called back.

"Fat load of good it did him," Kenny muttered, flipping him the bird before trudging out of the hospital.

Once he was outside, he found the nearest wall and punched it as hard as he could. He could barely feel the pain as he hit it again, over and over, all the anger and emotions he had pent up over the years rising to the surface with every hit. His world was crumbling around him and all because his family decided to go back to Charming. Either the place or he himself was cursed. One of them had to be. There was no reason so many bad things could happen to one person one after another.

"Ken! Kenny!" Jazzy's voice cut through his angry haze. "Kenny, stop!"

He blinked at the wall, staring in disbelief at the blood staining the concrete. His blood. What the hell had he been thinking? This wasn't him. He didn't lash out like…like a Son would. He felt sick to his stomach, shaking his head; what the hell was happening to him? "Damn." His hands shook as he raked them through his already messy hair. "Jazzy, I…I don't know what I'm doin'. I…"

His hands reached up to cup his face, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Hey, relax, baby. You're okay," she soothed, her thumbs brushing across his cheeks wiping away tears he hadn't realized he'd shed. "Talk to me, Ken. Please."

"I can't…" he shook his head, unable to find the words. "I can't…they hurt Ang and they took Lyla and they killed my Mom and I can't…why does this keep happening to me, Jazz? What'd I do to deserve this? Is it me? Am I cursed or something? A jinx?"

"Oh no, Ken. This has nothing to do with you, baby. None of it," she assured him, carefully walking him back towards the steps. She sat down, pulling him to sit next to her. It was the only way they were able to be on the same eye level since he was so much taller than she was. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him in even closer. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, but it is _not_ your fault. I _know_ that. Okay? You're not a jinx or cursed. No way."

Kenny nodded, hating how weak he looked as he cried against her shoulder. It was hard for him to regain his composure, hard for him to breathe as everything hit him all at once. "I can't lose anyone else, Jazz. I can't. It's not fair. I can't..."

Jasmine's hand smoothed over the back of his neck, her nails scratching it gently. "Hey, you're not losing anyone, okay? Ang is alive and fine. And…and you don't know that Lyla won't be. You don't know what's going on with her, right? She could be okay, for all we know."

He pulled away, shaking his head at her. "You have no idea, Jazz. This live, these _people_. When shit like this goes down, people _die_. All the fuckin' time. This is so much bigger than you know and you can't...you shouldn't be here."

Her brows drew together in concern as she brushed his hair off his forehead. "I'm just fine here, Ken. Not goin' anywhere now. Not when you're...like this. You need me."

"Yeah," he agreed, sniffling slightly and wiping at his face. "I do need you. But not here. I can't...I can't handle you being here. The possibility that I could somehow _lose_ you. I can't..."

"You're not going to lose me, dude. I got nothing to do with this," she said, a small smile tugging up the corners of her lips. "I'm here to help you. That's the only reason."

He grabbed her hand with his, squeezing it tightly. "I know, but I need you to go home now," he pleaded, his voice cracking. "I love you so much and I...I need to know you're safe so I don't have to worry about you. So that I know this fucking Winston curse won't get you too. _Please_ , Jazzy. Just...go home. For me."

Her dark eyes studied his face for a moment before she took his face in her hands again. "You are an Ortiz, remember?" she pointed out. "No Winston curse for you, baby."

"Doesn't matter," he breathed, shaking his head. "Will you do it? For me?"

She considered his plea, a frown forming on her face. Leaning forward, she gave him a soft kiss. "I love how much you worry about your family, about me. And if it helps your state of mind, I'll go back," she answered, her chin on his shoulder. "But I want a phone call every day, Kenny Winston. A long one where you unload everything on me so you don't go crazy again. And pictures because I'll miss your cute face."

He let out a long sigh of relief, already feeling like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. "Long therapy session calls and pictures. Got it," he promised on a nod and a sniffle. "And I'm _not_ cute."

Jazzy laughed and gave him a sound kiss on the lips. "You are _so_ cute. And I love you."

Kenny felt himself smiling despite the breakdown he'd just had. Just hearing how much she loved him made his worries ease a bit. He drew strength from that love the same way he knew Juice must from Angela. He'd learned over the years how to be vulnerable in front of the people he loved from watching how his adoptive parents interacted. It didn't do him any good to act tough in front of Jazzy, not when he needed her to understand where he was coming from. "Love you too," he said, kissing her gently. "So much. Just want to keep you safe. Would kill me to lose you."

She stroked his cheek lovingly and kissed him again. "Good thing I don't plan on getting lost."

* * *

Chibs approached Angela's hospital room slowly, an anxious feeling turning his stomach. He hadn't expected the youngest Winston to react the way he had to the news about Lyla. Had never expected him to curse the club and flip him off. If Opie could see him now...Chibs shook his head at the thought. He had no idea how Opie would react. He'd probably be proud as hell of his son for getting out, for getting his life together, and becoming a strong enough man to stand up for himself. He wondered how much of that had come from Angela's teaching or even Juice's.

 _Juice_. Now that was a name that had haunted him since the day he'd told Angela he was dead. He would never forget the broken look in her eyes when she'd found out, the fury and strength behind her punch as it connected with his cheek. At the time, he'd been irate about it, but later that same night, he hadn't been so filled with guilt, he hadn't been able to sleep nor had he been able to sleep well since then. All for naught because, apparently, Juice had been alive the whole time. He had to admit, he hadn't completely believed Tig when he'd told him Juice was still alive.

Still, he'd gone through the motions of offering up a Mayhem vote for Juice at their last Church, but it'd been more of a formality than anything. There was no way that vote would ever be unanimous. Not when little Evie had three core members wrapped around her little finger. He'd had to admit he was a little jealous of the relationships Tig and Quinn had been able to build with the little girl. It hadn't seemed fair at the time that Angela let them talk to her daughter while she'd ostracized him completely. Now, he understood. Hap and Tig had let Juice go, and he was sure Quinn had done something to help Juice sometime as well since he also earned the title of 'Uncle'. It hurt to think he'd never be her Uncle Chibs. Though, he had been the one to save Angela this time; the nurses all said had it not been for his quick thinking, Angela probably wouldn't have made it all the way to the hospital. He had a feeling it wouldn't change 'd burned that bridge long ago.

He looked through the slats in the blinds, catching a glimpse of the young couple inside. For a moment, he didn't recognize the man sitting at Angela's bedside. The tattoos that had once stood out dark and bold on the side of his head were hidden underneath thick, dark hair. He was wearing a button down shirt, its sleeves rolled up his arms to reveal a dark, black rectangle on his fore arm where his Reaper had once been. Two thick black lines went through it, circling his arm. Chibs had no doubt that the man he was looking at now was not the same man who'd once sat across from him in a diner, begging for his life. Still, he wanted to talk to him, apologize for the way he'd failed him. He was his brother, he'd come to him for help, and he'd turned him away because he'd blindly followed Jax into thinking the young man he'd pardoned before deserved to die this time. He'd been an idiot. Which was why he wanted to talk to him so badly; he had a lot to say to the young man who had once been his prospect.

The door to the room was open, but he did his best to make enough noise that Juice knew he was coming, catching the boy off guard wouldn't do either of them any good. He saw Juice tense, but he didn't turn to look at him, his eyes were focused on his sleeping wife as if he were afraid to look away.

"Heard you were alive. Guess I had to see for myself," he stated, breaking the silence. He saw Juice's jaw clench but the man remained silent. Chibs knew it wasn't going to be easy to get him talking, but he'd be damned if he missed his opportunity to apologize for his actions. "Have to say 'm happy about it. Relieved a bit. Never sat right with me what happened to ye. Glad you found a way back to your girls."

That got a reaction out of him. Juice snorted in response, shaking his head slowly. "If I were you, I'd get that gun, put it in my mouth, and pull the trigger. Ain't no way you're _ever_ gettin' back to those girls," he seethed, turning his head to finally meet his gaze. The dark anger in his eyes gave Chibs pause. Juice was an even keel kind of guy; he couldn't recall ever seeing him that angry save for the time he'd launched himself at the garage owner who had taken his bike and tacked a picture of Angela up on his wall. Juice glowered at him, his hold on Angela's hand tightening. "Those are the last words you ever said to me. So fuck your relief and your happiness. Me being alive has fuck all to do with you. No way should it clear your conscience. I came to you for help and you did _nothing_."

"What ye did wasn't right. Ye knew that," Chibs stated, shoving his hands in his pockets and standing up straight.

Juice shrugged a shoulder, looking back at Angela. "I hadn't done shit at that point. Was just Jax makin' noise. Saying shit that wasn't true yet you all believed him. Didn't even give me a chance. I'm sure you have no idea why one day I was pardoned and the next he wanted me dead."

He ducked his head in response, staring at his shoes. It'd been such a long time ago, he wasn't sure he could answer that question. "You went to Alvarez ready to trade club secrets. Was enough to forsake the pardon right there."

"Jax had already condemned me then _._ I went to _you_ for help first 'n' you told me to kill myself. All for what? Do you even know?"

Chibs tried to wrack his brain for an answer. There'd been so much shit going on around that time, and Juice had dug himself such a deep hole, he wasn't sure which transgression had earned him Mayhem. "Can't recall."

Juice snorted derisively, shaking his head. "You had me killed over somethin' you can't even remember. You were willing to take me away from my wife, my _kids_ for some bullshit reason you can't even think of now. You all were supposed to be my brothers, my family, and you all turned on me without ever hearin' me out."

"Aye, you were handed a shit deal. But ye weren't innocent either," he pointed out, deadset on having Juice at least take some responsibility for what happened.

"What did I do, Chibs?" he insisted, his brown eyes holding a challenge. "Yeah, I went to Alvarez, but it was either that or take my family on the run without anyone's help! My daughter wasn't even a year old yet! How could I put her through that?"

Chibs shook his head slowly. "Had to be somethin' for Jax to go after ye like that."

"That asshole had just lost his wife. I wouldn't put it past him to want me dead because mine was still alive. Because I was about to get everything he ever wanted," he spat bitterly. "And I did. It was one hell of a struggle, but I did. We were fine in our new place. Safe. Shoulda fuckin' stayed there. Knew she wouldn't be safe here even with Hap watchin' out for her. Fuckin' MC doesn't know how to protect its people."

The similarity of Juice's words to Kenny's made Chibs realized it was, in fact, Juice who'd helped Kenny find his voice. Who'd helped him grow into the strong, intelligent man he was. "Doesn't know how to protect its people," he repeated with a shake of his head. "I saved your Old Lady, ye know."

"And I'm supposed to forgive you because of that?" he spat, a look of disgust on his face as he rose from the chair. "You sent me to my death. I wouldn't even _be_ here if you had your way. She'd be alone if it were up to you!"

"Aye, but today she's _alive_ because of me."

"So what, you want me to _thank_ you? Is that what you're fishing for?" he asked incredulously, taking a step closer to the other man, his hands clenched into fists. His voice was dangerously calm as he continued, his eyes holding a fury Chibs had never seen before. "After everything you did to me, to my _family_ , you want me to forgive you and _thank_ you because you were a decent human being for once and did the right thing by taking care of her? You gotta be fucking kidding me with that bullshit. This wouldn't've even happened if it weren't for your fucking club!"

Chibs blinked at the man in front of him, feeling as if he were a total stranger instead of the young prospect he'd taught and molded into a full patch. This man was stronger than the other one, more assured in who he was, and confident enough to stand up for himself in a way the old Juice hadn't been. Chibs opened his mouth to reply when he was interrupted by a little voice.

"Daddy!" Evie called as Happy carried her down the hall towards them. Her dark eyes looked over the stranger standing in front of her father, and a fearful look filled them, her bottom lip starting to tremble. She reached out an arm to Juice, wriggling around in Happy's hold as she whined. "Daddy!"

Juice knocked his shoulder against the Scot's as he moved towards her, immediately taking her from Happy's arms and holding her close. "Ssshh. It's okay, Monk. Daddy's got you. Relax, baby girl," he murmured, kissing her forehead as she moved his arms around her neck.

"Daddy, tha's a bad guy. Bobo said he bad like Scar in the Lion King. He hurts Daddys," she explained, her voice trembling as she cast a nervous glance at Chibs.

Chibs scoffed at that, not at all appreciating the smug smirk on her father's face. Juice kissed her forehead again. "It's okay, Eves. He can't hurt me. Not anymore," he told her, rocking her slightly. "Should we go visit with Mama? Know she can't wait to see you."

With that, he walked back into the room, shutting the door in Chibs' face. When he moved to open it again, Happy blocked him. "Don't," he stated simply, that dark, protective look in his eyes.

He knew if he pushed, his Sergeant at Arms wouldn't stop him from entering. Happy was a good soldier, always loyal to his President, but Chibs didn't want to test him either; he'd had a long day. "Dunno who that is, but it ain't Juicy."

Happy turned away, moving to stand in front of the window and peering through the blinds at the little family inside. Angela was awake, her hands stroking through Evie's hair as the little girl snuggled into her side. Juice was sitting on the bed by her hip, her hand in his as he leaned forward to kiss his wife. It was a beautiful, heart-achingly sweet picture of a little family who loved each other very much. The only person missing was Kenny, who would find his way there when he was ready, and they'd bring him into the fold with just as much love as if he were their own. The love his family provided him was what ultimately had made Juice strong. He'd sought out that kind of love in the club once upon a time, but they hadn't been able to give it to him. Not like Angela, his kids, and the rest of his family in Texas did now. It was one hell of an improvement from the old idiot that used to run around the clubhouse doing stupid shit as he sought the approval of his brothers. "No, it's not," Happy agreed, his shoulders relaxing a bit at the sight before him. "He's better."

* * *

 **I really enjoyed writing this chapter for some reason. It was super fun to play with all the different characters! :)**

 **As always, please let me know what you think, any suggestions, predictions, etc! I always look forward to reading your reviews!**

 **~Love Ink**


	11. Hope

**FINALLY finished this chapter! I'm sorry its taken me so long, but life has been a bit crazy and work had me super busy! :( Thank you so much for your patience!**

 **Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read, review, favorite, and follow! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _Guest 1, Guest 2, and Sabrina!_**

 **Thanks to TeamBlaus4ever for helping me out with this chapter! She's got a great Juice/OC story you should check out!**

 **Shout out to Ang R too! You said you were feeling down, so I hope this makes you feel a little better! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Lino, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :).**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 11: Hope_

 _By Love Ink_

Angela woke up from her drug induced slumber at the feel of Evie patting her cheek, shouting her name despite Juice telling her to be quieter. She smiled, slowly opening her eyes to see her daughter's big brown ones staring back at her. Her eyes were light like Juice's, beautiful and expressive. "Hi Mama!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly at her. She touched the little tube in her nose. "You got a tube like Nana Lena! You sick, Mama? You need medicine?"

She laughed lightly, slowly moving her hand to muss Evie's hair. "No, baby girl. I got a little hurt, but I'm gonna be okay. Sure could use some cuddles though," she assured her, her heart warming as Evie snuggled into the side opposite her chest tube. She looked over at Juice while playing with Evie's soft hair, noticing how tense he was, his eyes fixed to a point on the wall as if he was lost in his own head. "You okay, baby?"

Juice blinked for a moment, shaking himself out of his thoughts. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and leaned in to kiss her lips quickly. " 'm fine."

"Daddy talked to the bad man Scar," Evie said, propping her feet up on Juice's thigh. "He scary."

Angela's felt her heart beat kick up a notch. "Bad man Scar" could only be one person, Chibs. The machines around her started beeping a little louder, as her heartrate elevated. "Chibs?" she asked him in disbelief. "Juice…"

"Hey, hey, calm down, Angel," he said, squeezing her hand tighter. "Nothing happened."

Evie covered her ears as she sat up, a panicked look on her face. "Mama? Why so many beeps?"

"Because Mama's angry at Daddy because he did something really, really stupid," she said, soothing Evie as she took a deep breath, trying her best to slow her heartbeat. Closing her eyes, she focused on her breathing for a moment while she gathered herself. Opening her eyes again, she continued more calmly, the beeping slowing and fading to its normal rhythm again. "See? All better. No more loud beeps."

Evie looked appeased and relaxed again into her mother's side. "That was a little scary," she admitted, snuggling her face into Angela's side. "I don't like it."

"It's all good, Evie-doll. I'm okay," Angela murmured, kissing the top of her head. She looked up at Juice, shaking her head at him. "Explain. Now."

She watched Juice's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, his thumb rubbing over her wedding and engagement rings. He'd helped her put them on as soon as she was conscious, not liking her to be without them for too long. "Tig told Chibs what they did. How they let me go. Brought it to the table. No Mayhem for me."

"Tig told him? Is _Tig_ okay?" she asked, clenching her fist as she tried to keep calm. "Is _Hap_?"

Juice furrowed his brows together in confusion before nodding. "Yeah. They're fine."

A wave of relief rushed over her. "Jesus Christ. You scared the shit out of me," she murmured, relaxing back against her pillows.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it earlier," he pointed out, leaning over to her side table and grabbing the Jell-O cup off of it, making sure the cup part was covered so Evie couldn't see what color it was.

Evie's eyes lit up, her hands clapping excitedly. "Jell-O! It green, Daddy?"

"I was high off pain meds! That doesn't _count_ ," Angela replied incredulously.

"Daddy!" Evie insisted getting up and kneeling closer as Juice popped the top off. "Daddy, what color?"

"It counts. I know it does. Huh, Monk?" he shot back, holding the cup away from her, taking pleasure in teasing her a little.

Evie reached for it, nodding her head in response to the question, willing to say anything for the Jell-O in Juice's hand. Angela smiled at the two, loving watching them mess around. She knew Juice was trying to distract both of them, and while she played along, she wasn't about to let it go either. After Evie got her Jell-O, Angela was going to get right back to it. "Evie-doll, do you think it's the color of bananas?" she asked, trying to make it a learning moment since they had just started teaching her colors.

Evie looked from her mother to her father. "Daddy, it banana colored?"

Juice pretended to peek at it before shaking his head. "No, not yellow. Guess again. Three guesses."

She pouted a bit, reaching for it again only to have it taken away. She sat down, thinking for a moment, her expression the same as her father's when he was deep in thought. "It grass colored? Geen?"

"It is! You're so smart!" he exclaimed, showing her the green Jell-O cup. She clapped excitedly in response, patiently waiting for the cup and spoon. "What do we say?"

"Please!" Evie replied, already bouncing on the bed.

Angela winced as the movement pulled at her stitches. She tried to mask it quickly, but Juice caught it. With a frown, he picked Evie up and set her on the chair next to the bed handing her the Jell-O and spoon and murmuring a quick 'you're welcome' after she thanked him. Once she was settled, he sat back down on the bed, looking at his wife with worried eyes. "You all right?"

"Yeah," she answered on a shrug. "Totally fine. Just pulled on my stitches a little. She can come back up."

Juice shook his head. "Nah, think she's good with her Jell-O. Time for some Daddy time," he told her, leaning forward to kiss her.

She blocked him with a hand to the face. "Nuh-uh. I'm mad at you. You weren't supposed to come to Charming. That was the deal."

His face fell a bit as he leaned back. "Baby, you were in surgery. I couldn't just leave you here. Plus, it all worked out. Now we don't got to worry about the club and their bullshit any more. We're a hundred percent free to do whatever the fuck we want. Shit, we could even move back if we wanted. "

Angela hated how much she liked the sound of that. Sure, she loved their perfect life in Texas, but she couldn't deny how much she missed her family and working at the funeral home. "That something you want?"

Juice raised his eyebrows in surprise. Clearly he hadn't meant it as an option, he'd just putting it out there to show how safe they were. "Do _you_?"

"I don't know," she hedged, shrugging a shoulder.

"Baby, our whole lives are back in Texas. Rigs and our family and the company…" he trailed off, his brow wrinkling in concern. "Do you really want to move back? Look at everything that's happened, and you've only been here like a week."

Angela shook her head. "No, _no_ , I don't. I was just…asking."

Juice didn't seem appeased by her answer. He frowned in response, raking a hand through his hair. "I'm helping Dino find a spot for a satellite office out here. Wants to put one out in Silicon Valley or somethin'. Be where the tech shit is. So if that's something you really want…we can talk about it."

"Juice, I wasn't saying…"

"Just get better, Angel. That's it. Focus on getting better and growing our little bugs. We'll figure the rest out later, all right?"

She leaned forward, taking his face in her hands, and placing a long kiss to his lips. "Okay," she replied, kissing him again. "Love you."

Evie wrinkled her nose. "Ew! Kissy face!"

Juice chuckled, pulling away to look at his daughter, who's face was covered in lime Jell-O. "I'll show you kissy face," he said scooping her up and peppering her face with kisses while she squealed in delight. "Mm, you taste like green Jell-O!"

Angela couldn't help but laugh along with them. Words couldn't describe how thankful she was that he was there, that he was safe there. With her laid up in the hospital, the kids needed him to help them stay strong. To distract them from the craziness that was going on. Evie needed him to protect her little bubble of safety from bursting.

* * *

Marcus Alvarez had only been in St. Thomas a handful of times, none of which were to visit anyone. This time, however, he was walking in there with a large bouquet of flowers in his hand. Lilies for the girl he'd always thought of as a daughter. His heart felt heavy with every step he took towards the room. His wife had been taken, his youngest daughter traumatized, and his pseudo-daughter seriously hurt all within hours of each other. Yet he had to remain calm, strong, hold himself together so that his Mayan brothers didn't see the cracks in his armor.

Lino met him in the hallway, giving him a nervous nod. Marc knew it was because he felt responsible for what happened to Dia. "Hey Pres," he greeted, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "H-how are things?"

"Just came to visit _Angelita_ ," he explained with a shrug. He was trying to act as if it was business as usual. This was a casual visit. One he would make if everything was normal. "Soli and Tessa are riding over with Raffa. I beat 'em here _pero_ they should be up soon. Tryin' to keep everyone close to their _familia_."

The younger man looked relieved to hear it. " _Gracias_ , Marc."

Marcus slapped him on the shoulder, nodding proudly. "You did good, _mijo_. Protecting my daughter like you did. You made the right choice."

"The right choice would've been to stay with Dia. Dunno what I was thinkin' leavin' her behind to get tickets. I could've killed 'em before they even touched her."

He shook his head. Though he appreciated Lino's enthusiasm, the guy wasn't a killer. Had yet to earn his " _Asesinos de Dios_ " patch like most of the others. He had no doubt if it came to it, Lino would step up, but it sounded wrong to hear him say it. "You were outnumbered, Lino. Only way that ends is with you dead and all four girls gone. We'll get Dia back, _te lo juro_." ( _God's Assassins...I swear)_

"Hope so," he muttered in response, walking down the hallway with him. "Juan's workin' on the lead you got. Ken on the lead the Son's have. We're just waitin' on whoever's got 'em to make their move. Give us their demands. They gotta want somethin', right?"

Marcus nodded, sighing heavily. "We'll find out soon enough," he answered before jerking his chin towards the door. "How are the girls doin'?"

" _Angelita's_ fine, of course. The little one…think she's still trying to process what happened. She has to be held. Freaks out anytime anyone puts her own on her feet. Think she's scared someone will take 'em away like Dia," he explained with a frown. "How's Tessa?"

He shrugged a shoulder, though on the inside, he couldn't be prouder of his young daughter. The strength and smarts she'd shown by memorizing the plate, by trying to think of the smallest details of the men who'd taken her mother had astounded him. He knew Dia had been teaching her how to handle different situations, but at eight years old, Marcus was impressed she'd remembered any of it. "She's good. Handling it. 's been keepin' close to anyone with a cut. Drivin' Raffa nuts."

"I got her. She can chill with me all she wants. I'll keep her safe."

Marcus nodded, patting his cheek lovingly. "I know that. Go downstairs and wait for them. She and Soli will be happy to see you."

He looked through the window before he headed into the room and smiled a bit. Juice was sitting at Angela's side, his laptop open on his lap, an intense look of concentration on his face as he typed away. Evie was asleep on the bed beside her mother, curled into a little ball while Angela played with her hair. For a moment, he tried to picture his son sitting there in Juice's place. He knew it was what Esai always wanted, what he'd dreamed of. But he'd ruined his chances with Angela time and time again. He'd loved his son, but he'd been a real idiot when it came to his relationship with Angela. Marcus hadn't been blind to his antics. He'd wondered where he'd learned them because he had never ever treated Dia like that. Maybe if he'd given him more advice, he could've saved that relationship, saved Esai because he knew if his son had kept her by his side, he would never have put himself in the position he had with Darby and the Sons. She would've stopped him. Closing his eyes, he shook his head; that was the past, he couldn't change it. Best to focus on what was in front of him.

Angela smiled at him the second he walked in, the same smile she'd always had for him since she was fourteen. "Hey Marc," she greeted, her dark eyes worried and tired.

" _Angelita_ ," he replied, setting the flowers on her bedside table. "Tessa picked these flowers out for you."

"They're beautiful. Thank you," she replied, squeezing his hand as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "How's Tessa doing?"

"Good," he said curtly. He nodded over to Juice who was still immersed in his computer. "Anything new?"

Juice looked up and let out a heavy sigh. "Vans were old. Plates were from different cars. One registered to Henry Lin, one to August Marks. That's who we're dealin' with."

Marcus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Can't be. They're both dead, _mijo_. Teller made sure of that, remember?"

The younger man looked surprised for a moment before shaking his head. "Think I was kinda dead around that time, so…no, no, I didn't hear about that," he explained as if it were no big deal that he'd been theoretically 'killed'. "Who was next in line?"

" _No se_. From what I heard, Teller killed all of Lin's crew, shot Marks point blank in front of some courthouse. Niners have been laying low, Triads, non-existent."

"So there's an empty power position," Juice murmured, rubbing at his chin as if in thought.

"Two," Angela corrected softly. "Two empty power positions and one reason to align them."

"Jax fuckin' Teller," Juice spat out, scowling with disgust. "Looks like he left a fuckin' _mess_ behind when he offed himself."

Angela smirked. "Literally. Man versus truck, and all," she pointed out, smirking as her eyes met Juice's.

"God, I love you," he chuckled, reaching out his fist for her to bump.

Marcus looked between the two of them in disbelief. "That ain't right. Don't speak ill of the dead. 's bad luck."

Juice smirked in response, typing away at his computer with renewed vigor. "Well, I _was_ dead so…"

Angela snickered, shaking her head at him. "Goof," she murmured lovingly, her fingers playing with her sleeping daughter's hair.

Marcus had seen Angela with Esai many times. Had seen the loving, adoring look in her eyes when she was with him, but it was nothing like the way she looked at Juice. The love between them was stronger, truer almost. You could feel how much they loved each other just in the way they acted and talked to one another. "So what's the next step?"

The younger man sighed heavily, rubbing at his eyes. "I'll dig into their family trees. See who'd want revenge."

"Smart," he complimented with a nod of approval.

The door burst open, waking Evie with a jolt as Raffa ran in, a panicked look on his face. "We got a package in the mail," he quavered, eyes wide with fear. He came closer, holding the box in his hand. "Was for me. Look! Lupe's hair and her nails and it"

Alvarez looked from his right hand man to the little girl on the bed, noticing how frightened Evie looked. " _Callate,"_ he ordered, glaring at his second. " _La nena no tiene que oir eso._ Go outside. Wait. Juan, you come with us." _(Shut up. The little girl doesn't need to hear that.)_

Juice shut the computer and stood, moving to press a quick kiss to Evie's forehead. "It's okay, Monk. Raffa's just messin' around," he murmured to his daughter. "Right, Mama?"

"That's right," Angela agreed on a nod, playing with Evie's hair again to soothe both her and the little girl. "How 'bout we find something good on TV, yeah?"

Evie wasn't convinced. She looked at Marcus with her big brown eyes. "Abu?"

Marcus' heart-melted with that simple word that was short for the Spanish word for Grandfather, _Abuelo_. He didn't think he'd have a child call him that until Tessa was older, so he took delight in the little girl using it. He moved in closer, touching her cheek lovingly. "Everything's okay, _tesoro_. You stay here with your Mama and let the grown ups talk, okay?"

She nodded, appeased by her grandfather's words. "Okay, Abu. You come back?"

" _Por supuesto, mi amor,"_ he said, kissing her cheek and smiling when she giggled in response as his mustache tickled her face. He mussed her hair before following the rest of the men out of the room. Once the door was closed behind him, he gestured to Raffa. "Let me see." ( _Of course, my love)_

Raffa's hands shook as he opened the box to show the blood stained hair and fake plastic nails. Inside it was an iPhone with a post it note that said 'play me'. "I haven't touched it," he said, swallowing hard. " _Pero_ these are Lupe's. I know it. I paid for those nails!"

Marcus pushed the box back towards him. "Play it."

The video was filled with screaming and Lupe's crying as they pulled off her nails and yanked out her hair. The men doing it wore all black, their faces and hands covered so as not to show their race. Then they tossed her into another dark room, the camera moving to show the three other women left inside. "This is just a taste of what will happen if we don't get what we want," a female voice stated. "Our demands will be met or we start killing them one by one."

Lupe's crying was loud as the camera showed her on the ground, bleeding and writhing in pain. Marcus waited until it panned around the room again, landing on Dia. His wife looked just as calm as ever. She made a few quick movements with her hands, trying her best to make them look natural when in reality, she was signing something to him. "They're okay. Black and yellow have them," he decoded before sighing at the last one; the sign that meant 'I love you'. He and Dia had taken sign language classes for just this purpose; to communicate to each other when they couldn't speak. He'd thought it was stupid when she was forcing him to take the classes, but he was thankful for it now.

"You got all that from that video?" Juice asked in disbelief. At his nod, he shook his head, clearly impressed. "We know their demands?"

Marcus raised an eyebrow at the younger man, surprised at how easily he jumped back into the outlaw life. He knew he wanted to help, but he wondered if Angela would approve of him getting so into it. " _We_ don't know anythin'," he told him. "You keep trying to find a connection. Nothing else is your concern. Remember, you don't have a patch anymore."

His hand rubbed over the dark square tattooed on his arm, nodding in agreement. "Right."

"You get a good lead, you let me know," he said, dismissing him. "Tell Eva everything's all right 'n' I'll come visit later. Gonna go talk to SAMCRO. See if they got anything."

Juice tensed at the mention of his old club but nodded slowly. "Yeah. I got it."

"Good," he said, waiting until Juice went back into the room before turning to Raffa. "We get anything else?"

"N-no _pero_ it don't look good. You don't think they'll kill her do you?" Raffa asked, his eyes wide with fear.

Alvarez gave him a grim look; things didn't look good for Lupe. "We'll find out."

* * *

Juice stared at the parking lot from the window in Angela's hospital room. He knew he was supposed to appreciate that they had a window in the room, apparently it was a luxury Graciela had to trade a few favors for, but he had to admit he hated the view. All he could see when he looked outside were the two rows of motorcycles lined up neatly on both sides of the parking lot. One row of chromed out Harleys with ape-hangers that sparkled in the sun, the other row was darker, more subtle. Juice knew for a fact that up close, those bikes were just as beautiful as the Mayans'. For the Sons, it was the artwork on the gas tank and little details and parts that gave their bikes personality. From the skulls on Tig's handle bars to the Scottish flag on Chibs' seat, each Son had a bike that fit their rider. Before his bike had gotten jacked for parts by crooked cops, he'd had an iPod docking station with speakers and some other techie shit that had taken forever to hook up. The artwork on his had been pretty standard, but he'd had planned to re-do the tins, paint some angel wings and the North star on them for his two girls. He'd never gotten the chance.

His new bike was different. It was a sparkling gunmetal grey paint, similar to the color of Angela's Mazda, with intricate black wings painted on the gas tank. His tribute to his wife. She was the reason for everything he had; he couldn't pay tribute to her enough. She was his everything, and he loved her more than anything. He loved her and their little family so much that he'd risked everything by coming back to California to take care of them.

But now he understood why she hadn't wanted him to come back. True, it was to protect him from Mayhem, but a part of him thought it was also to protect him from himself. Just being in that place was bringing back old ghosts, slowly pulling him back into the outlaw life he'd left behind. It'd been too easy to slip back into the role of intelligence officer only for the Mayans this time. It was the same shit, though, and he took to it like a duck to water. He'd referred to himself and the Mayans as 'we' as if he was a patched member, as if he was a part of their family, and Alvarez had been quick to correct him. He was thankful for that, he'd needed it; otherwise he'd be put right back into the situation he'd worked so hard to get out of.

"What's going on between those two tats?" Angela asked, her voice sleepy from her pain drugs. "You're thinking too hard. Got steam comin' out of your ears."

He turned around to face her, trying to give her a smile and failing. "Just…being here, helpin' out Marc, gettin' back to old habits. Its…messin' with my head," he told her honestly. After everything they'd been through, he didn't keep things from her any more. "Feel like I'm gonna get pulled under."

Her brows furrowed in concern as she stretched a hand out to him. "C'mere," she said, wiggling her fingers at him despite the heart monitor on one of them. He grimaced, hating seeing her hooked up to all those machines. Carefully, he sat at the edge of the bed, holding her hand in his own. She moved his hand to her lower stomach. "Feel that?" she asked, her dark eyes earnest as they looked at him.

He couldn't feel much, just the smallest hint of a bump that he only noticed because he knew every curve and bump of his wife's body. "Yeah," he murmured, rubbing over the bump.

She smiled warmly at him, setting her hand on top of his. "Remember _they're_ the reason you came here. Not the Mayans or the Sons. And you're not helping the Mayans, you're helping find _Dia_. Dia the woman who's been sending Evie and Ken presents since we left Charming and treats you like a son even though you're not. And you're not helping the Sons, you're helping _me,_ " she said, her voice catching in her throat. "Because Chlo's my best friend, and if somethin' happens to her…"

She trailed off, a tear sliding down her cheek as she let out a soft breath. He used his other hand to wipe the tear away. It physically hurt him to see Angela crying. "Nothin's gonna happen to her," he assured her, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "We're gonna find her. _I'm_ gonna find both of them. Promise."

Angela nodded, sniffling a bit. "Okay," she said on a breath. "Do we know anything more?"

"Do you want the truth?"

She considered his question for a moment, her hand dropping down to her stomach as though she was worried how the information would affect her stress level. He watched her take in a deep breath, strengthening herself. "Yeah. Let's hear it."

"Looks like they got Dia, Chlo, Lyla, and this other Mayan chick held hostage in some…underground dungeon. They pulled the Mayan girl's fingernails off, ripped out some of her hair, 'n' they sent them to us...well, to _them_ ," he corrected with a grimace. "They got sent a video of the girls. Some woman has them. Marcus said Dia somehow communicated to them that it was black and yellow that's got 'em. Not sure who."

Angela let out a long breath, nodding slowly. She was trying to keep it together, be strong like she'd been taught to all of her life. "Shit," she breathed, trying to rake a hand through her hair and slamming her fist on the railing when she realized the stupid monitor on her finger meant she couldn't. "Fuck!"

"Hey, woah, easy, Angel," Juice cut in, grabbing her hand.

"This is bullshit! I hate being stuck here. I hate…I should be out there helpin'! Not here just…doing nothing. Dia and Chlo are family! How can I lie here and do nothing while they're in trouble?" she asked, feeling frustrated as hell. Her heart monitor started beeping like crazy, freaking Juice out.

"Angel, relax! You're gonna tear your stitches!"

"I'm fine! I'm fine," she said, pressing her hand to her heart as she tried her best to breathe. "I just…hate this."

Juice nodded slowly as he sat down on the edge of her bed, his hand going moving to cup her cheek. "I know, baby, I know. And you'll be outta here soon, hopefully."

"Hope so," she said on a breath, frustrated tears leaking from her eyes. "This sucks."

He wiped the tears from her eyes, leaning forward to kiss her. "It does, but hey, at least we're together, right?"

She nodded, a small smile turning up the corners of her lips. "Right."

* * *

Happy had been at the hospital room door when he heard Angela's alarms go off. Had been ready to go in and calm her down like he always had when he saw Juice step in. The idiot had her calmed down and had her smiling again in minutes. A part of him hated watching the scene unfold, hated that another man was taking care of her the way he used to while another part was thankful for the idiot. Him taking care of her so well took a weight off of his shoulders; at least he knew that if something happened to him, she'd always have someone who loved her to watch out for her and keep her safe.

That was something he hadn't been able to do with Chloe. They'd been living together ever since Angela left, both of them enjoying their weird little life together. Some days, he'd get home and she'd be there on the couch with a glass of wine, reading. Other days, he got home before her and stayed up all night until she got off her shift. His feelings for her ran deep. Deeper than they had for any other girl who wasn't blood related to him. Their relationship was just easy. Chloe didn't expect anything from him, and he didn't expect anything from her. It just worked. She kept him sane. Shouldered the burden that used to be Angela's. She listened to him without judgement, eased his mind, and helped talk him through the harder times. She'd become his rock and now someone had taken her. Snatched her when he wasn't even looking and injured his cousin to boot. When he got his hands on whoever did it, they were going to die. Like a lot.

He rolled his shoulders, hating how light they felt without his heavy cut on. He'd had to leave it in his saddle bag so he could spend time with Evie and his Ma. He had to admit, he felt a little unprotected without it. So much of who he was resided in that leather, that it was weird not to have it on his shoulders. But he understood why Angela was so insistent about the 'no cut' rule, and he respected it. It was worth it to be able to spend time with his little niece.

He stepped into the room slowly, unsure of what to do, what to say. It felt as if he was intruding on a very private moment. He scowled to himself, hating feeling like an intruder in his little cousin's life. She was the first to see him, a look of guilt in her dark eyes that saddened him. He nodded to her in greeting. "Hey kid," he stated, hanging back a bit. "Idiot."

"Hey Hap," Juice replied with a sad smile. He leaned over and kissed Angela quickly before getting off the bed with a grunt. "Evie with your Ma?"

"Yeah. Tig and V are with 'em too."

"Good. I'ma go check in," he stated, excusing himself. He looked from Happy to Angela. "She's got stitches in her side, and a tube draining out the shit in her lungs. Make sure she doesn't do any sudden movements. Take care a her."

Happy clenched his fists as the words he'd said countless times to the idiot were thrown back at him. He moved by Juice, slamming his shoulder into his on his way towards Angela. He heard the other man grunt in pain and smirked to himself as he approached his cousin's bedside. Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead. "How you feelin', kid?"

"Fine," she answered with a soft sigh. She bit her lip for a moment before blurting out, "Look, Hap, I'm so sorry about Chlo. I should've seen them comin'. I heard the bikes, knew they weren't Harleys. Knew something was wrong. I shoulda…shoulda…grabbed the gun out of glove and shot some of those fuckers. Maybe we could've gotten away. Maybe…maybe then Chlo would be here instead of…wherever she is."

" 'ey, 'ey easy. You did what you could. Pullin' that shit woulda meant a bullet for you. Fuckin' lucky they left you the way they did," he told her. If it'd been him, he'd have killed the survivor. The less witnesses the better. The fact that they'd left Angela without knowing whether she would live or die meant they were working with rookies. "What's your damage?"

Angela sighed, running her hand through her hair. "Got a few bumps and bruises and my lung collapsed, but other than that, I'm good."

"You in a lot of pain?"

"No," she answered, an obvious lie. At his look, she shrugged. "I'm fine. It hurts, but I can handle it. I don't want anymore drugs than necessary."

Happy smirked, knowing she had to be in a lot more pain than she was letting on. But that was his kid, always acting tough even when she didn't need to. "And the baby?"

"There's two, actually," she told him with a small smile, her hand rubbing over her lower belly. "Twins."

Happy did his best to hide his surprise. He'd heard all about their struggle with conceiving from Chloe and was secretly happy Angela finally got what they'd been trying so hard for. "No shit. Look like the idiot's Little Rican works after all."

"Yeah," she agreed around a soft laugh. She reached out a hand to grab his and squeeze it; a rare move that told him she knew he wasn't there to bullshit about her health. Her dark eyes searched his face for a moment, before she asked, "Where's your head at, Hap?"

The question threw him off guard. He wasn't used to her asking him so brazenly; she usually waited for him to talk. "I don't fuckin' know," he muttered, running a hand over his head. "Can't focus on anythin' right now. Ma's not doin' good, you're laid up, 'n' she's…gone with no one to fuckin' kill to make it right. Got no footin' here."

She frowned a bit, looking down at her hands. "Know the feelin'," she murmured, going to mess with the heart rate monitor on her finger. "At least she's alive, right? There's hope."

"Don't feel like it," he muttered, staring down at his own rings.

"You never do. 's why it's my job to remind you."

He nodded; she was right. She'd always been the light at the end of the tunnel for him. Always knew what to say to keep him going, to make him feel stronger. Chloe had been a good substitute for her while she'd been away. Better even because she could comfort him physically as well. "Yeah," he rasped, a strange longing feeling tugging at his heart. He rubbed at his chest for a moment, frowning to himself and hating the strange new feeling.

Angela smirked at him. "You miss her."

"Guess so."

"Because you love her," she added knowingly.

Happy glared at her. She was right, and she knew it, but for some reason, it felt wrong admitting it to her without ever having said it to Chloe. He knew she knew, though. Girl wasn't stupid, and he knew his Ma had probably mentioned it as well. Now that someone had taken her from him, he regretted never say it out loud. It was something she deserved to hear. But he wasn't about to tell his little cousin that. "Don't push it, kid," he muttered. Her responding grin made him roll his eyes. "Stop."

"I didn't say anythin'," she replied innocently. She reached out for his hand, grabbing it and squeezing it. "We're gonna find her, Hap. Juice won't stop 'til he does, promise you that. And when we do, you're gonna do what you do best."

Happy couldn't help but smile at her confidence in both him and her husband. Every word she said made him feel just a little better, stronger. He'd needed that. "Damn straight," he stated on a nod. He stood, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "Missed you, kid."

"Yeah, well, you never called so…that's your fault," she shot back, sticking her tongue out at him.

He smirked, using his two fingers to make a scissor motion. "You better stick that in 'fore I cut it off," he threatened as custom.

She laughed lightly, rolling her eyes. "Some things never change."

* * *

 **Next chapter will have more action in it, I promise! Slowly but surely this story's coming along!**

 **Thank you all for sticking with me! Any comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. are welcome and loved!**

 **~Love Ink**


	12. Pain Management

**FINALLY had time to update! So sorry this took so long! Real life has been getting in the way of my writing!**

 **Thank you all for being so patience with me! I got back to most of you lovely reviewers, but thanks also to: _Guest 1, Sabrina, Guest 2, Mara, K2, and Brittney!_**

 **HUGE thanks to _TeamBlaus4Ever_ for letting me bounce ideas off of her and routinely telling me my stuff isn't crap! If you haven't read her story, _Do It Like a Dude_ , you should definitely go check it out! :) Also thanks to Ang R for her input too! You guys rock! **

****Any Bay Area natives going to Walker Stalker Con in San Francisco to see Ron Perlman, Ryan Hurst, and Tommy Flanagan?! I'll be there waiting to give Chibs a piece of my mind about what he did to Juice...juuuust kidding I'll probably just smile a lot and blush and awkwardly babble about how much I love them and SOA. ;)****

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Lino, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 12: Pain Management_

 _By Love Ink_

Kenny stood outside Angela's room, his heart beating fast. She'd already been in the hospital for almost three days, and he hadn't gone in to see her. His excuse was first, he was busy trying to find whoever had done this to her and later that he'd been too busy making sure Jasmine got on her flight home safely, but he knew it was all bull shit. He was scared as hell to see his Mom laid up in a hospital bed like he knew she would be. He'd been avoiding seeing any of his adoptive family, trying to keep to himself as best he could to avoid having to face the reality of Angela being seriously hurt.

He knew Evie was hanging out with Lino today, protected by the Mayan while also having fun with Tessa. As much as he hated the Sons and everything they stood for, he had no problem with the Mayans and was thankful they were there to protect them. If only Piney and Opie could see him now, what would they think, he wondered. They certainly wouldn't have approved of him thinking of Dia and Marcus as grandparents. Then again, they probably wouldn't have approved of him not prospecting either. He frowned to himsef, shaking his head; those thoughts were useless. He didn't know how they would feel nor did he really care. They were gone. He missed them, of course, but he had to admit his future was a lot brighter since he wasn't in their shadows. He knew he had Angela and Juice to thank for that. If it hadn't been for them, he'd have stayed with Lyla and would no doubt be wearing a Reaper just like his father and grandfather before him.

Taking in a deep breath to calm his nerves, he pushed open the door and found the blank Prospect cut he'd just been thinking about hanging off the shoulders of a tall, dirty blonde boy, the the blue letters on the lower rocker bright against the stark white background. The person wearing it was standing at the foot of Angela's bed talking to Juice who was seated next to her. His arms were braced on the side rail of Angela's bed, clean and free of any tattoos. Kenny didn't recognize the young prospect until he turned around. "Piper?" he asked, slightly surprised to see him in Angela's room.

Piper gave him a sad little smile and nodded. "Hey Ken. How's it goin'?"

"I um…good," he answered awkwardly. He felt guilty as hell that Piper of all people had gone to visit Angela before him. Worse that he hadn't known who he was. Piper was his stepbrother; how could he have not recognized him? "You?"

"Been better," he replied on a shrug, his hands digging into the pockets of the new leather.

Kenny saw the patch on the bottom that read: "In Memory of 'OPIE'" and felt his heart sink; Piper had clearly taken the spot that had been meant for him in SAMCRO. "Nice cut. Ellie mentioned you were prospectin'."

"Yeah, Rat's sponsoring me."

"Cool. That's…awesome, bro," he replied, burying his own hands in the pockets of his jeans. He looked over Piper's shoulder to see Angela and Juice talking quietly to each other, doing their best to give them some privacy despite being stuck in the same small room. He appreciated that, but he also wished they'd interject and end this already awkward conversation. "W-what are you doing here?"

Piper looked hurt for a brief moment before he quickly hid it. Again, Kenny grimaced; Piper had every right to visit Angela. She and Lyla were close, and while Piper wasn't as close to Angela as he and Ellie were, it made sense for the younger blonde to stop by to visit her. "Checkin' in on Ang and seeing if there were any updates about my Mom," he explained smoothly.

Kenny mentally smacked himself. He'd forgotten about Lyla being taken too. He grimaced again; he must sound like a real selfish dick. "Right! Shit. Anything new?"

He shook his head before shrugging. "No news is good news, right? I mean, that Mayan chick got her fingernails ripped off and shit. We haven't gotten anything from our side so…"

"Right, right. Good."

"Yeah. Well, I gotta go do some bitch work," he muttered with a tired sigh. He looked over his shoulder at Juice. "You'll text if there's an update?"

Juice nodded. "Of course, Pipes. I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks. Feel better, Angie," Piper replied, giving her a gentle hug and smiling when she mussed his hair. He turned back to his stepbrother, nodding his goodbye. "See you around, Ken."

Kenny watched him go, hating how awkward that exchange was. He and Piper may have lived under the same roof, even shared a room for a year or two, but they were two totally different people. Piper was never home. He had no idea what his step-brother did, but he was always out and about. Once he moved out of Lyla's house to live with Angela, he hadn't made much of an effort to keep in contact with him. What he knew of Piper usually came second hand through Ellie. Ellie and Piper were close, though, like real siblings should be.

"Well, that was awkward," Angela quipped, breaking the ice with a small smile. "Almost as awkward as my son not coming to visit me for three days."

He grimaced, scratching at the back of his neck. "Yeah…I'm sorry about that."

Juice looked between them for a moment before slowly getting to his feet. He stretched his arms into the air, his back cracking loudly as he did so. He winced, groaning as he rubbed at his back. "I fuckin' hate hospital beds. I'ma get some coffee," he said, leaning over to kiss Angela. "You guys want anything?"

"Coffee sounds amazing," she replied, her dark eyes lit up as they looked up at him.

"Yeah, none for you, though," he told her, kissing her nose. "I'll be back, baby."

Kenny watched him walk around the bed, nodding awkwardly at his adopted dad. Their eyes met, and Juice gave him a reassuring smile before gesturing to the door. "Let's talk for a minute," he stated, waiting for him to step outside the door before he put his hands on his shoulders. "She's all right, Ken. She's got a boob tube, though so watch out for that. Try not to move around on the bed too much 'cause it hurts her. And yes, she's in pain, but she won't use the drip they gave her so if you think it's bad, just grab it and do it yourself. She'll be pissed, but it's better than her suffering."

"Yeah, got it," Kenny said on a nod. "Sorry I haven't been around. I was just…scared. Don't like seeing her like that."

Juice pulled him into a tight hug. "Don't worry about it. I get it, _she_ gets it. She's gonna give you shit for it, but she understands."

"Okay," he replied, feeling incredibly relieved. "Thanks, Dad."

He squeezed Kenny's shoulder. "Love you, Ken. I'm gonna go check on your sister. Text me if you need me."

"Yeah," he stated, going to mess with the ring on his finger and frowning when he realized it was gone. He'd given it to Jasmine to take care of, so she'd keep him in mind. She was wearing it around her neck, and in return had given him one of her gem-bead bracelets, saying the tiger's eye beads would give him strength. He ran his finger over the round beads instead as he stepped into the room. "Hey Mama," he greeted, hanging his head guiltily.

"Hey kiddo," Angela replied, her voice warm and filled with motherly love. "Good to finally see you."

Kenny approached her bed, sighing softly, his heart tightening painfully in his chest as he looked at her. She had a few scratches on her face, but her color was normal, so she couldn't be that bad. His eyes fell on the tube coming out of her side, grimacing at the reddish liquid coming out of it. That didn't look so good.

"Ken," her voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He lifted his head to meet her eyes, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment as he muttered an apology. She just smiled at him and patted the bed beside her. "Come sit. I heard you sent Jasmine home."

He sat down next to her with another sigh. "Yeah. With all the shit goin' on. I didn't need one more person to worry about. She's got orientation soon anyways."

Angela reached out to grab his bandaged hand, a worried look in her dark eyes. "Please don't tell me you smacked the Scot."

"Think at this point, I'm the only Ortiz who hasn't. 'sides Evie of course," he answered on a shrug. "I uh…I punched a wall a couple times. Chibs told me about Lyla 'n' I just…lost it. It was all too much. First Dia, then you, now Lyla. I couldn't…handle it. I needed to hit somethin' 'n' I wasn't about to deck Chibs in the cafeteria, so I…"

"Used a wall," she finished on a frown. "Just a tip, Chibs' head? A lot softer than a wall, though just about as thick. You are less likely to crack a knuckle on it too."

Kenny smirked at that. Only Angela would suggest hitting a person rather than a wall. "Seriously? You allowing that?"

"He killed my husband. He deserves more than a punch to the face."

He smirked knowing the hatred Angela had for Chibs would never fade. There was never going to be a moment where either of his parents were going to be okay with the Scot, and he couldn't say he blamed them for it. "Right. I'll remember that for next time," he murmured, looking at the machines that surrounded her. There were so many of them, beeping and whirring. Why did she need so many? What were they all doing?

As if sensing his thoughts, Angela squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'm okay, Ken."

"You don't look it," he admitted on a sad laugh as he felt his eyes well up with tears. He'd almost lost her. He still couldn't wrap his head around that. After losing his biological mother, he knew just what it would feel like to lose his adoptive one, and he never wanted to go through that kind of pain again. "Mama…"

"Hey, I got some good news," she cut in, changing the subject despite the way her own eyes were glassy with tears.

Kenny wiped at his eyes, grateful for her subject change. "Oh yeah? What?"

"Turns out that bug I was complaining about is really just a baby. Well, two babies, actually," she said, her hand settling on her stomach. "And they're…they're healthy and growing. The accident didn't hurt them at all."

He couldn't help but smile at the news. Angela and Juice had been trying to get pregnant for awhile, and he was happy to hear they'd finally succeeded. He was a little bummed he wouldn't be living in the house while they were growing up though. The huge age gap between them meant he would miss a lot of their lives while he was at college. "So it takes not one but two babies to fill my shoes," he teased, not really meaning it.

Angela scowled at him, swatting his arm. "Don't be stupid. That's not true and you know it. No one could ever replace you. Are you really worried about that?"

"Nah," he replied on a shrug. "Just sucks I won't be there while they're growin' up. I mean, I know I'm missin' a lot of Monk's life too, but at least she knows me. These kids won't. Not really."

"Ken. You are still our son. Their brother. There is no way in hell these little bugs won't know who you are," she assured him with a small smile. "Plus, you're coming home for holidays and summers. You're not leaving us forever…unless there's something you're not tellin' me."

He laughed and shook his head, feeling relieved. "Nope. I'll be home for those. Probably with Jazzy in tow. Just wish it wasn't so far."

"Nah, you'll be good back in Cali. I know you missed it. Plus you'll be closer to El and Boner now," she reminded him. "You'll be okay."

"Will you be?" he asked, turning the conversation back to her and her health. "Dad said you were in a lot of pain. That you won't take the pain meds."

She frowned, a guilty look on her face. "I don't need them. He's exaggerating. I'm totally fine. I don't want the twins to be exposed to that shit so early on. No matter what they say, it can't be good for them. I'll grin and bear it 'til they let me out of this place."

"Which is…"

"Soon, I hope. Know Juice and my Ma and everyone are trying to make it as long as possible. They think I'll hurt myself once I'm out."

Kenny smirked; he agreed with them wholeheartedly. She tended not to admit when she was hurting or sick until she was on her death bed. "Well, you don't really have a great track record of taking care of yourself."

Angela rolled her eyes, scoffing softly. "You're s'posed to be on my side, kiddo."

"I am. 's why I want you to take care of yourself. Obviously. Want you around a lot longer," he explained, smiling when she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Love you, Ken."

"Love you too." He tilted his head against hers, squeezing her hand before reaching for the remote. "Any good channels here?"

"Mm. Not really. Just Animal Planet," she murmured around a shrug. Her hand went for the little button connected to her pain medicine. He raised an eyebrow, and she gave him a bashful smile. "Don't tell Dad. He worries too much."

He kissed her forehead, more relieved that she'd been the one to administer her own pain drugs than him forcing her to. At least she was taking better care of herself than she usually would. "Your secret's safe with me, Mama Bear."

* * *

Happy stared at the statue of St. Thomas from his seat in the small hospital chapel. A few pews in front of him, Chibs and Marcus Alvarez were talking in low voices, trying to figure out what was going on. Alvarez was hungry for answers, ready to kill whoever he could to get back to his wife while Chibs was a little more cautious, something that frankly pissed Hap off. If it'd been his own wife or daughter, he'd be up in arms, ready to kill anyone who dared take them, but since it was just Chloe and Lyla, he was taking things slower. Hap had to respect his decision, but inside, he was furious. Those fuckers had taken his girl, and they needed to be found and dealt with. Fast.

"We need to wait. See what we're dealin' with," Chibs stated, leaning back in his seat.

"We know what we're dealin' with. Gotta be someone related to Marks and Lin," Marcus said, shaking his head. "Teller killed Marks, his crew, then had one of my guys take care of Lin in county, finished off the rest of them in some bullshit driveby. Ain't surprised they're after us now."

"Yeah, but they're all dead," Tig pointed out. "Who's left to come after us now?"

"Y'all got more charters, don't you?" Lino stated from his spot beside Marcus. "Like who's to say they don't either? I mean, they gotta have some kinda family, right?"

Marcus looked surprised that Lino had spoken up in such a serious meeting. Hap knew Lino's rank in the club was similar to what Juice's had been when he was in good standing. Not the lowest spot on the totem pole but somewhere in the middle. Hap had known the little shit since he was three years old and never would've thought he'd grow up and join the Mayans, and the fact that he decided to speak up while the Presidents were meeting showed he that he'd grown some balls and was gaining confidence in his role in the club. "That's what Juan's lookin' into right now," the Mayan President added with a nod.

Happy noticed Chibs straighten up when he said Juice's name as if it irked him. "Ye got him workin' on it then?" Chibs asked calmly.

Alvarez nodded, a small smirk barely visible beneath his mustache. "He's not wrong. We got charters all over. Friends, family. Someone is going to care. Taking our women? Feels like revenge to me."

"Right, right," Chibs mused, leaning back again. "But why the women? Marks took our men. Killed Bobby. Never once hurt our families."

Happy raised an eyebrow, glancing at Tig who was staring at his feet. Clearing his throat, he decided to voice what Tig wasn't going to. "Pope killed Dawn," he put in, knowing he'd done the right thing when Tig gave him a nod of appreciation. "Marks was Pope's right hand man. Could be taking a page from his book."

"By why leave Angela behind then?" Chibs asked, raising an eyebrow. "She's important to us, to you. Seems like she'd be the one targeted."

"She's been gone a long time, _'mano_. Whoever this is hasn't been watching us long," Marcus explained easily.

"Yeah, me 'n' Lupe have only been a thing for like two months," Raffa put in with a frown. "Shit, I just started calling her my girl."

"Least that gives us some kind of time line. Hap 'n' Chlo only just started going out publicly," Rat Boy added from his spot in the very back of the chapel.

Happy turned to glare at him, fighting the urge to smirk when his eyes widened in fear and he took a step back. Chibs didn't comment on it and changed the subject instead, "So we wait for demands. Find out what they want and then find a way to get our girls back."

Marcus nodded and stood, shaking Chibs' hand before they headed to the door together. "Sounds like a good plan."

"Ye don't have to stay here, y'know. Can head back to Oakland. Lock your club 'n' family down there. We'll do the same at our clubhouse."

"No disrespect, but some of my guys are gonna stay here with Angela," Marcus stated, though the idea showed his distrust for the Sons. "I lost my son once. I won't lose my daughter."

Happy clenched his teeth together, his hands forming fists. How could he think Angela wouldn't be protected? That _he_ wouldn't protect her? "She ain't goin' anywhere," he ground out.

"That's true. Not on _our_ watch," Marcus agreed before walking away.

Happy went to follow him, but Tig held him back. "As much as I'd love to see you give that beaner a beat down, we can't afford to break that tie right now," he explained, one hand on his chest, holding him back. "Let 'em stay. Who gives a fuck? The more help we have to take care of Ang and Lena, the better, right? You got enough shit to worry about 'n' we don't got the numbers they do."

"Fuckin' bullshit," he muttered, shaking his head. He hated that Tig was right. Hated that he knew the Sons weren't as strong as the Mayans were at this moment. The Mayans were unified under Alvarez. Had been for years. While SAMCRO was still scrambling to unify their charter, the Mayans were only growing stronger. "We gotta get our shit together. Now."

Tig chuckled, clapping him on his shoulder. "You're not wrong, brother."

* * *

Juice rubbed at his tired eyes, the letters on the screen blurring in front of him. He'd been at it for too long, running through database after database in search of some link, someone who would want revenge against the Sons, against the Mayans. He glanced over at Kenny who was on the other side of the couch, asleep with his head tilted back against the back seat of the couch, Evie passed out with her head in his lap, the bulldog Kozik had given her tucked under her arm. She was beautiful, his littlest angel. Just like her mother.

He moved his glance over to Angela who was sound asleep in the hospital bed, her chest rising and falling slowly. The movement was soothing for him, and he found himself trying to sync his breathing with hers. God, he missed her. She was right in front of him, but she still felt so far away. She was hurt, fragile, breakable. He felt like he couldn't touch her without causing her more pain. He missed just being able to hold her without worrying about hurting her.

She was in pain. He knew she was. The doctors had told him the pain could be excruciating at times, but Angela never complained once. He could see it in her eyes though, in the way she'd randomly clench her fists or pause while talking. At first, he let it slide; if she wanted to be strong, he'd let her. But it came to a point where he couldn't take it anymore. He'd reached over and pressed the button to give her a dose of the pain meds to stop her from hurting. The look of betrayal in her eyes had cut him deeply, but he'd known she needed it. His unborn twins needed it. If she was going to get better, she needed to rest and grinning and bearing the pain like she had been was only going to prolong her hospital stay.

"You're thinkin' too loud," Angela groaned, her brow furrowing for a moment as she shifted a little. He moved to help her, but she held up a hand. "Don't I got this. Just gotta raise the bed a little."

He watched the head of the bed rise while she did her best to get comfortable, wincing as she tried to get comfortable. "Angel, let me…"

"Sshh, don't worry so much," she said, waving away his concern. "Come sit with me. Want you closer."

Juice smirked, gently sitting on the edge of the bed, his laptop in his lap as he settled in next to her. The nurses had tried to tell them they shouldn't be sharing the bed since she could pull her tube out if she moved too much. But he didn't care; he'd learned through the years that just been physically close to his wife was enough to ease his nerves, make him strong. She'd told him his presence made her feel the same. If being near her made her feel better, there wasn't a person in the world who could stop him from doing just that. He kissed her forehead, breathing in the scent of her hair and wrinkling his nose at the dirty smell of it. "You need a shower," he murmured, smiling when a soft laugh escaped her lips.

"Ugh. I know. I'm so gross," she agreed on a frown. "I'd honestly kill for a shower right now."

"They say anything about when your boob tube is coming out?"

She nodded, her head moving against his shoulder. "Tomorrow, hopefully. Depends if any more of this junk comes out of my lungs tonight."

"Maybe they should keep it in a little," he stated, knowing she'd hate it. "This shit is bad, baby. Your lung literally collapsed. If it happens again…"

"It's not gonna happen again," she cut him off, covering his hand with her own and squeezing it. She looked up at him with a small smile. "Not if I can help it."

He dipped his head to catch her lips in a quick kiss. "You can. Just gotta take care of yourself."

Angela scowled at that. "I _do_ take care of myself."

"Says the woman who I've had to drug because she'd rather grin and bear the pain then rest and heal."

"Whatever," she murmured, rolling her eyes at him. "Show me what you're searching for."

Juice sighed, bringing up the list of known family members he'd found using a law enforcement database he'd gained access to years ago. "I got a lead on who might be in it for Lin's crew, but I'm at a loss for Marks' side. All his family members are super old or dead."

"These are all dudes," she pointed out, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What about the women?"

"I didn't…you think a woman could be behind this?"

Angela shrugged a shoulder. "Right after you died…I thought about killing Jax and Chibs. If it weren't for Evie and Ken, I would've done it too. I had a gun in my hand and it was pointed at Jax, ready to go and I just…couldn't do it. I knew what would happen if I did. Club would come after me, and where would that leave Evie 'n' Ken. With my Ma? I don't think so. Jax and Chibs deserved to die, but no way was I going to sacrifice my life, my _kids'_ life for that kind of revenge, but I did consider it."

Juice stared at her in shock. He'd known his wife was a badass, that she would do crazy things for the people she loved, but he didn't think she'd actually kill someone. "Shit, Angel. You really almost kill him?"

"Yeah," she rasped, taking his hand and playing with his fingers. "Not my proudest moment, but…I thought I'd lost you forever. Do you know how much it hurt to think I'd never see you again?"

He thought back to the two moments he'd thought he'd lost her. First when she was taken by Salazar, second when Mel took her. "Yeah," he admitted, his voice rougher than he thought it'd be. "You've been taken from me twice, remember?"

She laughed lightly and nodded. "Hard to forget."

"That second time, me 'n' Hap were literally fighting over who was going to take care of Mel," he told her, his mind going back to that night. He'd been fueled with adrenaline, ready to kill anyone who got in the way of him finding her. "Then we heard the gun go off, and I just…I've never been so scared or angry in my life. I don't know what I'd do if he'd…he'd won that night. He definitely wouldn't be left standing."

Angela squeezed his hand, leaning over to kiss him. "It didn't happen, though," she reminded him. "But you understand that anger, the need for…for revenge."

He nodded, sighing softly. "Yeah. I do. A lot."

"So let's look at the ladies," she encouraged, nodding towards the computer and letting go of his hand. "Do your magic."

Juice chuckled, kissing her forehead. "I love you so much. You know that, right? You're not allowed to leave me. Ever," he murmured, saying a silent prayer that it would never happen. She laughed for a moment before grimacing in pain. He cringed at her expression, reaching over her to grab the magic button that gave her the pain meds.

Angela swatted his hand away. "Dude, it only works so many times. I'm fine. I wanna watch you work, not be in some drug-induced sleep. Gives me weird dreams."

"What do you dream about?" he asked, already beginning to click away.

"Little of everything. Saw Koz the other night. _That_ was weird," she murmured, her voice slow and sleepy.

He knew he was going to lose her to sleep soon, but he didn't mind. "Oh yeah? What'd he have to say?"

Angela yawned, covering her mouth with her hand and cringing when the movement pulled at her side. "Not much. Just that he's proud of me. Of us. Loves Eves. Forgives me for Mel. Woke up and cried for like twenty minutes."

"That's impossible. You haven't been alone that long. I woulda seen you," he stated, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Mmm, you were sleeping," she said, blinking slowly as her eyelids grew heavy. "S'okay. I needed that. Felt good. Knew he wouldn't be mad about Mel, but it was good to hear it from him. Dream or not."

Juice frowned, hating to hear she'd been upset, and he'd slept through it. "You shoulda woke me."

"You need sleep too."

"I need to be here for you more."

Angela tilted her head back to look up at him. "I'm pregnant. I'm gonna cry. Rather do it alone than with you here suffering with me."

He grinned, still in disbelief that she was pregnant, with twins no less. "I'll happily suffer with you, baby," he said, looking through Marks' family tree. When she didn't respond, he glanced down to find her sound asleep. He relaxed a little more into the pillows, thankful that she was allowing herself to rest. Cracking his fingers, he started sorting through the different family members until one in particular stood out. With a smirk, he dug deeper and deeper. "Looks like you were right after all, Angel."

* * *

 **Just starting to put the pieces together. Slowly but surely.**

 **Thank you so much for sticking with me! Please let me know what you think! Your reviews are always so encouraging!**

 **~Love Ink**


	13. Useless

**GAH I KNOW...it has been FAR too long since I've updated, and I apologize. I got sidetracked with some work drama and real life!**

 **But THANK YOU for waiting and for all of your kind words! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _Sabrina, Brittany, and Telarni Goodwin._**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Evie, Lino, and Chloe. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 13: Useless_

 _By Love Ink_

"Charlie Lin," Juice stated, putting his computer on the small table in front of Happy and Marcus. Lino, Raffa, Tig, and Quinn all leaned in to see what he was showing them. No other Sons were invited to their little meeting. President or not, Juice refused to have anything to do with Chibs. He was only helping the Sons because he loved Chloe and Dia and wanted them home safely. Fortunately, Happy respected that and kept the Scot far, far away.

"Lin's brother?" Happy asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied him.

"Sister," he corrected, smirking to himself as he remembered how cocky his wife had been about getting it right. "Charlotte Lin. She's been running heroin around SoCal and in and out of Lompoc for years. Also in charge of moving guns down there. No one's ever seen her. Goes by Charlie so everyone she works with thinks she's a man. Her and Henry worked together under their Uncle who ran the rest of Cali. Now, with him _and_ Lin gone..."

"She could run the whole damn state by herself," Lino put in with a grin. "Holy shit, man. You think she's the one doin' all this?"

Juice nodded emphatically. "Dunno who else it could be. She's power hungry, smart. Knows the value of family 'n' that people will do anythin' for 'em. I mean, she must've gotten the Niners on her side or somethin' to boost numbers, but I got a feelin' its her. Gonna do some more digging. See if Henry had any more property in his name here in the Bay. Somewhere she'd be holding the girls."

Marcus nodded, standing up from the table slowly. "Good job, _mijo_. Keep on it," he said, giving Juice's shoulder a squeeze. "Heard our girl's gettin' out of here today."

He glanced at Happy, noticing the way his jaw ticked at Alvarez calling Angela 'their' girl. He wasn't about to touch that argument with a ten foot pole though. If Hap wanted to fight Alvarez's claim on Angela, he was welcome to, but from what Juice knew of Marcus and Angela's relationship, the Mayan President had a right to call Angela his girl. Clearing his throat, he scratched at the back of his neck. "Yeah, she uh…they're doin' tests now, then they'll remove the tube, 'n' then I'll meet up with her for an ultra sound. See our new additions."

Tig, Quinn, and Lino all cheered with excitement. Tig ruffling his hair lovingly. "Atta boy, Juicy. Make more of those pretty babies!"

Juice ducked away from Tig, slapping his hand away. He couldn't help but smile at the praise he was getting from his former brothers and the Mayans. It lifted his spirits a bit, made him feel just a little safer. They wouldn't joke around with him if they were going to kill him. "Yeah. 'm just happy she's alive."

"We all are," Marcus agreed on a nod. "Once she gets out, I'll have a few of our guys follow you to my place and post them there. Lino will stay with you. Place will be surrounded."

"She's ain't goin' anywhere," Happy said, standing from the table. "Stayin' right here. We got 'em."

"Your numbers are down. You don't got the manpower to spare to watch out for them, " the Mayan President shot back with his eyebrows raised. "We got the Stockton Charter and some brothers up from the border to protect them. Most of our families are takin' a vacation outta state to stay safe, so we don't gotta worry about 'em. They will be our soul focus. That something you can do?"

Happy stood taller, puffing out his chest a bit. "She'll be safe at the clubhouse. We got it locked down."

"Might be best if ya'll just get outta here. Go back to Texas, to be honest," Lino suggested, glancing in between them before nodding to Juice. "What you thinkin', Tonto?"

Juice grimaced at the nickname but was thankful someone thought to ask him. He thought about the best way to answer the question without pissing Happy off even more. "Can't go back. Angel came here for Lena 'n' there's no way in hell she'll leave now. Not until we get the girls back. As for where we're stayin'...I don't want my family anywhere near the clubhouse, Hap. Not after the hell that club put us through. Neither of us would feel safe there," he said before quickly adding, "Not sayin' we wouldn't be, I'm sayin' it wouldn't feel like it, and she don't need that kind of stress."

Hap's jaw ticked angrily, before he nodded. "One of our guys is goin' with."

"Fine," Marcus conceded on a shrug; he didn't give a shit, he'd gotten his way. He waited until the Sons had all walked away before turning to Juice and the other Mayans. "Lino, you drive 'em back. Make sure Santo Padre's there to watch 'em. Taino knows the drill. I'm sure Angel will be happy to see _Angelita_. Yuki too."

Lino chuckled at that, shaking his head. "Sounds like a party. Is it okay if I set Soli up in the guest bedroom? She didn't want to leave with the rest of 'em since she's got the baby 'n' all."

"Ha!" Raffa exclaimed, grinning like a fool. "Angela and Soli in the same place? They're gonna kill each other! Might as well throw my sister in there and have it out for reals."

He scowled in response. "They're grown women now. Ain't no cat fightin' goin' down. They're too old for that shit. Right?" he asked, looking to Juice.

Juice chuckled, holding up his hands. "Know Angel won't start shit. She's thankful Soli saved our kid. Never really seen her throw a punch to be honest. Usually, I get there first."

"She ain't ever punch you?" Raffa asked, rubbing at his jaw as he shook his head.

He furrowed his brow and shook his head wondering why they were all so surprised. Sure there were times he knew she wanted to punch him, but she'd never gotten violent with him. The worst she'd ever done was physically push him away. Those shoves were always strong, though. Just another reminder of her strength. He couldn't imagine the kind of power her punches had. "Not that I can remember."

Both of the younger Mayans laughed while Alvarez just shook his head. "Bro, you'd remember," Lino said, nudging his arm with his own. "That shit _hurts_."

" _Bueno._ Enough fuckin' around," Marcus stated, slapping Juice on the back. "Go check on your wife. Make sure she and my grandkids are doing okay."

Juice smiled a little, excited at the prospect of seeing his babies on the ultra sound screen. He knew from seeing Evie at such an early stage that there wasn't going to be much to see. Still, he couldn't wait. "Yeah. Will do," he said heading towards Angela's hospital room. Lino stuck by his side, his hands deep into his pockets as he walked behind him. Juice raised an eyebrow at him. "You followin' me now?"

Lino shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah, dude. You heard 'im. I'm your personal bodyguard. We 'bout to be best friends," he told him with a cheesy grin.

"Weren't you Esai's prospect?" Juice asked, wondering why Lino was being so nice to him. "Shouldn't you hate me?"

He scoffed in response, shaking his head. "Nah, dude. Ang and I have been best friends since we was three years old. Our Ma's met at some Dead Husband support group, and they became best friends, so we became friends. Dead Dad Club. Our Ma's always wanted us to get married, but we ain't ever seen each other that way. She's always been my sister, y'know? None of that unrequited shit like in the movies. Just friends," he told him, waving his hands as he talked. "So you keep treatin' her good and makin' her happy, and I'm good with you. 's long as you don't hurt her or fuck over my club, we won't have any problems. We gonna have problems?"

Juice chuckled; Lino's rambling was worse than Angela's. "Not from me. Apparently, she's more likely to hurt me with that right hook than I am to hurt her."

"Yeah. She must really like you if she hasn't punched you yet. Even _I_ have been on the receiving end of one of those."

Juice barely heard the end of his comment; he was more focused on the nurse standing outside Angela's door. For some reason the sight of her made him nervous. Was she there to give him some bad news? Was Angela back in surgery? The doctor had said the removal of her chest tube could result in her lung collapsing again which meant more surgery and more time in the hospital. Something he knew Angela would hate. "What happened? Is she..."

"She's fine," the nurse said quickly. "Chest tube came out perfectly. She's all stitched up and doing well. I offered her pain meds, but she..."

"Refused," Juice finished, rubbing a hand over his face. He wished she'd listen to her nurses for once in her life. "Of course."

"She just wanted a shower, which she can't really have for another day or so, but Graci helped her wash her hair in the sink. Gave her some soap and a sponge so she can freshen up a bit, too," the nurse explained before frowning. "Her incision is numb now, but it's gonna hurt once that wears off. We'll give her drugs for that, but taking them is up to her. Also she'll have antibiotics to make sure she doesn't get an infection. Wounds needs to be cleaned and re-dressed daily. We're gonna set up weekly check ups because of her injury and the twins. She should stay in bed. No heavy lifting, nothing strenuous because she could pop a stitch. No exercising because her lung could collapse again. She doesn't seem the type to listen to my instructions, so if you could..."

He nodded slowly. "I'll take care a her. The pain meds, they okay for the baby?"

The nurse gave him a small smile, setting her hand on his arm reassuringly. "We wouldn't give them to her if they weren't."

"Right, right. Can I…" he gestured to the door. At her hesitation, he smirked. "I've already gotten her pregnant. Twice. Nothing I haven't seen before."

She stepped to the side and gestured to the door. Juice glanced over his shoulder at Lino who backed up. "I'm good, bro. I'll just chill here. Thanks," he stated on a shrug.

"Wasn't an invitation," he muttered to himself before walking into the room. He was met with Angela's bare back as she pulled her pants up. He took a moment to drink in the sight before him, his heart beating fast in his chest as he watched the tribal lines inked across her back move with her muscles. He loved those tattoos despite the way they reminded him of their past, they were also a symbol of her love for him. That and they were sexy as hell. Definitely looked much better on her than on him.

"You enjoyin' the view, goofy?" Angela asked without turning to look at him, her arms slipping through the straps of her bra.

"You know it," he answered, smiling a little. He let her struggle with her bra clasp until she hissed in pain. He quickly crossed over to her, trying to help her with it. "Let me."

"Don't. I got this," she said stubbornly, waving him away.

Juice swatted her hands away, taking the bra strap and clasping it easily. He dropped a kiss to her bare shoulder, sliding his arms around her waist. "You gotta let me help you, Angel," he murmured against the skin of her shoulder. "You always help me, let me help you for once."

She leaned back into him, her hands settling on his as she let out a long exhale. "I hate this. Feel so fuckin' useless."

"You're not, baby," he assured, his hands stroking over her lower belly. "You're the one that suggested to go looking into the women. Without that, we wouldn't a had any kind of lead."

Angela sighed softly, hanging her head a bit. "At least there's that." She stepped away from him, grabbing her button down shirt off the bed and carefully pulling it on.

She grimaced in pain, and he wanted nothing more than to step in and help her, but he knew better; she needed to feel like she could take care of herself or else she'd hurt herself trying to prove that she could. "We're going to be staying in Oakland," he told her, watching her nimble fingers as they snapped the buttons closed. "Marc said he's got some of his brothers coming from down south for guard duty."

She smirked, shaking her head slowly. "The Santo Padre charter?"

"Dunno. Mentioned something about another Angel? Reyes?"

"That's them all right," she confirmed, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Crazy crew, that one."

Juice raised an eyebrow at her blush, wondering what had brought it on. "Something I need to know? Is one of the guys one of your mysterious two?" he asked, his arms crossed over his chest, slightly amused. She'd told him once before that she'd slept with only five people in her lifetime. He knew three of them, but she refused to tell him the other two. No matter how hard he tried to weasel them out of her, she always flipped the script and asked him to list his partners first, a feat she knew he couldn't do.

"Nope," she insisted, though the blush lingered. "Told you, those two had no club affiliations. My attempt at normal."

The door opened a crack, Lino's hand waving in. " 'ey! You decent?" he called, waiting until she answered him before stepping inside. "Look who's on her feet and lookin' strong as ever! Blushin' up a storm there, _chiqui_. What were _you_ two doin'?"

"Nothin'. I mentioned that Angel guy, and she just…blushed," Juice explained, hoping Lino would explain what was up.

Lino chuckled, ignoring Angela's glare as he cleared his throat. "Esai Alvarez was a jealous dude _pero_ there was only one guy he thought could actually steal his girl and that was Angel Reyes. Home girl had the fattest crush on him."

"Did not," she denied, rolling her eyes at him.

"Did too! I remember," he insisted around a laugh, dodging her fist when she swung at him. "You liked his hair!"

She grinned and shrugged. "He did have great hair," she mused, zipping up her pack before turning to her husband. "But you got nothing to worry about because yours has _always_ been better."

Lino chuckled. "You _do_ remember he used to have a mohawk, right?" he teased, reaching over to grab the open container of Jell-O on Angela's side table and taking a spoonful of it. "Plus, Reyes was never into her. He always said he liked his girls with more meat on 'em and less drama. Ang was too complicated for him."

"I like complicated. Makes things exciting," Juice stated, setting his hands on her hips and dipping his head to catch her lips in a quick kiss.

She laughed, rolling her eyes at him. "Goof," she murmured, moving to grab her bag off the bed. Lino was faster, though, grabbing it before she could and slinging it over his shoulder before stepping out of her way so she couldn't try to get it back. She sighed in defeat, raking her hand through her wet hair before saying, "We got an ultra sound, then I'm gonna visit my Aunt before we leave."

"Ang…" Lino started, hesitating a bit. "We got escort services waitin' on you, _chiqui_. Makin' the cops awful nervous all them bikers out there."

Juice watched her square her shoulders, chin jutting up defiantly, preparing herself for a fight. She narrowed her eyes, pointing a finger in his face. "The only reason I came back was because my Aunt is _dying_. You've got another thing comin' if you think I'm not going to see her before I leave or that I won't come back and visit."

"Tonto, you just gonna let her…"

Juice held up his hands. "I don't _let_ her do anything," he said, earning him a little smirk from his wife. "Also, kind of agree with her. Only reason we're here is for Lena, remember?"

Lino sighed, rubbing a hand over his head. "Always gotta get me in trouble, huh, Ang?" he sighed to himself as he got to his feet. "All right, lemme just alert the masses. Tell 'em to hold on."

"Thanks, Lee," Angela said, kissing his cheek quickly. "Love you."

"Uh-huh, sure you do," he muttered as he walked out. "Lemme know when you're ready to go then, crazy lady."

Juice slid his arms around her as she flipped off her friend's back. He moved his hands over her lower belly, smiling at its firmness. Those were his kids in there. "You ready to see these little bugs?" he asked her, nuzzling her ear with his nose.

She laughed, turning her head to kiss him. "Yeah, goof. Let's go see Thing One and Thing Two."

* * *

Charlotte Lin sat at the beautiful, antique desk that had once belonged to her brother, Henry, looking over his books and notes. It was a total mess. Evidence of their ups and downs in the heroin trade and his constant loss of territory to the Mayans and Niners. Then the Sons went and screwed him over by taking out his men one by one before finishing him off and letting the Mayans and Niners take over their turf. Once Teller bit the dust though, the Mayans slowly but surely pushed the Niners out and took over. They were running Oakland now; on top of the heroin trade and the guns. Not for long, though. She was going to get their piece of the drugs and the guns back and revive what her brother had run into the ground. She already had their old massage parlors up and running again, but she wasn't going to start moving their product. Not yet. Not until she was sure the Mayans and Sons wouldn't come stomping in at the first sign of it. Her crew wasn't strong enough, and she didn't trust the Niners she was working with any more than she could throw them.

They were doing their part, though. Tyler, their leader, was a spineless little fucker. Probably why he and his crew had lost their footing in Oakland. She didn't mind; it only made it easier for her to take over and run the show. Tyler had almost seemed relieved to hand over the reins even if he didn't exactly know who he was giving them to.

"Ms. Lin," Johnny, one of Lin's old cronies greeted catching her attention. "We got the goods."

Behind him was one her enforcer, a small tupperware container in his hand. If she looked hard enough, she could make out just the smallest drop of blood on his shirt. He was silent, though his distaste for Johnny was evident on his face. She nodded to him. "What'd you bring me, Shang?" she asked him.

He smirked at the nickname given to him because his resemblance to the animated character in _Mulan_ was uncanny."Pinky toe, Mulan."

If anyone else her called her by the name, they'd get a quick bullet between the eyes, but Shang was allowed. After all, he was fantastic in bed and didn't mind getting his hands dirty when she needed him to outside of the bedroom too. "Excellent," she nodded in approval. "Johnny, see that it finds its way into the Son's hands. With Shang's number to arrange a meet."

"The tape'll be easy to deliver. They're all at St. Thomas," Johnny scoffed as if the idea of all of them in one place was idiotic. "Don't gotta go too far to get them."

She raised an eyebrow at him, intrigued. "What are they all doing at a hospital?"

He shrugged, checking the time on his phone. "Think they're there for that girl that was in the accident with the nurse chick."

"You told me she was dead," she stated calmly, doing her best not to get angry. "That she was just a nurse and didn't matter to the club. Are you saying now that she not only survived but is affiliated with _both_ clubs?"

"Apparently," Johnny replied, sending out a quick text. "Who knew, right?"

Charlie slammed her hand on the table in anger. "You should have! Do you have any idea how valuable that woman would be to us? She's brought together the Mayans and the Sons, got them to stay in one place to protect _her_! Clearly, she's a little more important than 'just a nurse', you moron! Who is she?"

"I dunno. Just some chick, I guess."

"Useless," she growled at him, pushing back from the desk as she grabbed her gun. She walked confidently down the stairs to the basement of the little warehouse in Richmond. The women were locked away in what once was a supply closet. Peering through the window, she saw that two out of the three of them were asleep. She knew it was the stronger two that were taking the time to rest while the weak ones were both still sniffling as they stared at their wounds. "Good evening, ladies," she greeted, waiting until they were all awake and alert before looking over at the nurse. "Apparently, we made an error and left one very important woman behind when we caught you, Ms. Braun."

The fear in Chloe's eyes told her she'd known what a mistake it'd been leaving the other woman behind. "What?" Chloe asked, trying to play it cool. "No, she's just a nurse. My best friend. No one important."

"Why would you lie to me, Ms. Braun? You had to know we'd find out. My cousin and his comrades are morons, but us women, we're a little smarter than that," she said smirking to herself. "You see, your boys all went to protect her at the hospital. The Mayans and Sons together in one place? Big red flag that someone important is there. Now, who is it?"

Chloe's jaw clenched as she tilted her head back to look up at her. "She's alive then?"

"Oh, she's alive all right. Who is she?" she repeated, tracing the gun over Chloe's cheek and noticing how she flinched away. Clearly, she wasn't as tough as she looked. She stayed quiet, though, an obstinate look on her face. Charlie cracked her across the face with the gun. "Who is she?" she demanded, louder this time. Again, she remained silent. So she smacked the other side of her face. She hit her again and again until she drew blood.

"Stop!" the youngest of the bunch, a Mayan named Lupe, shouted out. "Don't hurt her no more!"

"Lupe, _callate_ ," Diana Alvarez hissed in her direction. ( _Shut up)_

Chloe didn't make a sound despite the way her cheek was badly cut, blood oozing from it and trailing down her face. Charlie hit her once more for good measure before turning towards the weakling who'd cried out. "Do you have something to say?"

"N-no, I wasn't there, I swear. I dunno who you're talkin' about," Lupe tried, tears already filling her green eyes. "I just...no more blood. Please. No more blood."

Charlie raised an eyebrow, so the little girl was afraid of blood. "All right. I can do that," she said, turning towards her and walking over. "Now, you seem to be a smart girl. How 'bout you tell me, and I'll go away. No more blood. Just a nice conversation, huh?"

"I don't know," Lupe sobbed in response. "I wasn't there."

She pressed the nose of the gun into her forehead. "Think _harder_. A woman with Mayan and Son connections. There can't be more than one."

"Lupe," Diana warned, an admonishing look in her eyes.

Charlie cocked the gun and the younger girl's eyes went wide. "I suggest you tell me. You're dispensable, you know. More so than any of the other women here. I have _no_ problem pulling the trigger."

Lupe swallowed hard before nodding. "A-Angela Ruiz. She's...her cousin's a Son a-and M-Marcus loves her l-like a d-daughter."

She let the gun dropped to her side, sighing softly. "Thank you. That's all I wanted to know."

"Don't fuckin' touch her, you bitch!" Chloe spat out, her teeth red with blood from her split lip.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it," she replied with a sickly sweet smile. "By the time we get to hurting her, you'll already be dead."

With that, she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Johnny stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall without a care in the world. "So?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest. "You find out who she is?"

"Oh, I did. Ms. Angela Ruiz. She has family in _both_ clubs," she answered simply. "So the girl you left to die could've been the only girl we ever needed."

"Oh shit, my bad," he said around a laugh.

"You're bad," she repeated, chuckling softly. She glanced over at Shang who was blocking the stairs, the only way out. In one quick movement, she raised the gun and shot Johnny quickly between the eyes. Stepping away, she exchanged a smirk with her enforcer. "My bad."

Shang shrugged a shoulder. "Guy was a moron anyway."

She smiled at him, handing him the gun and lovingly patting his chest. "Clean this up. Then find me everything you can about Angela Ruiz."

* * *

Juice walked out of the obstetrician room pushing Angela in her wheelchair down the hall towards Elena's room. The hospital had insisted Angela use a wheel chair for her own safety. She wasn't fully healed and the more time she spent off her feet, the better. He was grateful for it and had no problem pushing his wife around. What did bother him was the way his wife who had once refused a wheelchair after being shot and stabbed had sat down in the chair without so much as a complaint. For her to show weakness in front of him like that was a sure sign she was in a lot of pain and knew her injury was serious, knew she couldn't just power through it this time. And that scared the shit out of him.

Angela tilted her head back, smiling at him. "I'm okay, baby," she assured him.

" 's not like you to be okay with this wheelchair shit," he said, leaning forward to kiss her temple. "It hurt a lot?"

"Nah, I'm just tired," she answered on a shrug. She looked down at the little ultrasound in her hand. "Think these little bugs have something to do with it."

Juice smiled at the little picture. His little twins were healthy and strong, growing at a normal rate despite everything Angela had gone through. "Double the trouble right there."

She laughed lightly, her fingers tracing over the little images. "Double the fun."

"All right, let's see that ultrasound!" Lino exclaimed, unhitching himself from the wall where he'd been waiting for them. Angela handed it over to him with a smile, and he looked over the picture with a laugh. "Aww man, that's nothin'. Check this out; my baby's got feet!"

Juice watched as he dug the ultrasound out of one of the inner pockets of his cut, handing it over to them. True, his baby was a little larger than there's, but it was also older. "Yeah, but we got _two_ ," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but mine doesn't look like a fuckin' spot. That's a strong boy right there," Lino countered, jabbing his finger at his sonogram. "My future soccer star."

"You can't even tell if it's a boy!"

"I just got a feelin', all right?" Lino insisted with an excited grin. "Gonna be the next Messi or Beckham, promise you that."

Angela laughed, shaking her head at him. "If he doesn't become a Mayan first."

Juice was surprised by the way Lino considered the comment. Almost as if he didn't mind either way. There'd been a time he'd felt the same way about the Sons, but he couldn't imagine it now. His future children would never be a part of the club, any club. "That's up to him," Lino said indifferently. "He'll still be good at soccer, though."

"You'd be okay with him becoming a club member?" Juice asked, eyebrow raised.

"Sure. Why not?" he shot back on a shrug. "Mayans ain't like the Sons. When we say _familia_ , we mean _familia_. Shit that went down with you? Woulda been totally different if you were in our club, _'mano_."

Angela rolled her eyes. "You do remember what happened to Esai, right?"

Lino grimaced, scratching at his elbow. "Shit, yeah. That wasn't great."

Juice wrinkled his nose at the name; his skin prickled every time Angela said it. It was a reminder she hadn't always been his, and it drove him nuts. Even more so now that they were staying in his goddamn bedroom. "He got what was comin' to him," he muttered more to himself than to the other two.

If she'd heard him, she didn't reply, her dark eyes were affixed to Elena's hospital room door. "Is Evie in there?" she asked, her hand going to her belly.

"Yeah. Think Ken's at the funeral home with the rest of the Scooby gang. There's a prospect with 'em though. One of ours," Lino explained proudly. "Mayans are gonna be the ones protectin' the Ortiz fam. Here, in Oakland, everywhere. Hap might put a Son on you while you're here, _pero_ I'll be with you too."

"Fan-fuckin'-tastic," Juice said on a sigh. He was grateful to hear it'd be Lino shadowing them instead of a random Mayan or Son. No way could he handle a Son watching out for them. Not without being in constant worry that one would stab him in the back…literally.

Angela wasn't really listening though. She was laser-focused on the door in front of her. Slowly, she put her hands on the armrests, pushing herself to her feet. A pained gasp escaped her hold as she quickly sat back down. "Shit," she groaned, raking a hand through her hair. She held the other one out to him. "Help me up."

He walked around the chair, hesitating. "Ang, you really shouldn't be..."

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine, I swear. Just help me up," she insisted, her dark eyes pleading. "Juice, I don't want her to see me like this."

He fought the urge to grin; there was his strong wife. As much as he hated to let her stand, he felt a little relieved that she was insisting on it. "All right, baby," he conceded, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her to her feet. He cringed at the way she winced with the movement. "Sorry, Angel."

"Don't be," she said, trying her best to smile. "I'm okay. I got this."

He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. " 'course you do."

Leaning in, she kissed him again, her hand brushing over his cheek. "I love you."

He felt his heart flutter in his chest as it always did when she said those three little words. "Love you too, baby," he replied, leaning into her touch. "You got this."

She nodded, pushing open the door and taking a step inside. Evie spotted her before Elena did, and she perked up immediately. "Mama!" she exclaimed, scrambling down off of Elena's bed and running for her.

Juice was thankful Angela didn't try to catch her and swing her up in the air like she usually did. Instead, she dropped to her knee and caught Evie that way, hugging her close. "Hey, baby girl," she murmured, burying her nose in her hair as she kissed her temple. She let her go, ruffling her hair as she straightened up.

Evie tugged on her shirt, looking up at her with a pout. "Up, Mama! _Up_!"

Angela hesitated for a brief moment, her hand running over Evie's soft hair. They'd been told hours before she was not supposed to do any heavy lifting, and while Evie was still little, she wasn't exactly light. Still, Juice could see Angela about to cave into her daughter's puppy dog stare and quickly intervened, sweeping Evie up off her feet with a playful growl. "No way. Daddy's got dibs on this little monkey!" he shouted, hating the sad look on Angela's face. Evie's giggles filled the room, lightening the mood significantly. Setting her down on the edge of Elena's bed, he leaned over to kiss Elena's cheek. "How you doin', Lena?"

Elena gave him a smile and a shrug. "Good, _mijo_. Very happy to see you. I thought I wasn't going to get the chance again."

Juice's shoulders sagged guiltily as he hung his head. "Yeah, 'm sorry about that."

"Don't be. I am so glad you're here now. It is so good to see how my _Angelita's_ family has grown! And how happy she is. You make her that way, and even though you take her away to another state, I'm happy _porque_ I know she is."

He grimaced at her words, his heartbeat kicking up just a little bit. He stared down at the floor, doing his best not to dwell on Elena's words though. He took her away. He took her away from the place that she loved, from the people she loved. It was all his fault. Swallowing hard, he nodded slightly. "S-sorry," he managed to get out, though his head was spinning.

Angela's hand slid into his and squeezed, its presence warm and reassuring. "Don't go there, goof. Everything's okay," she whispered softly, kissing his cheek. "We're okay."

He nodded, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yeah. Okay."

"Eva, how about you and your Papi go see if you can find some Jell-O in the cafeteria, huh?" Elena suggested with a warm smile.

"Yeah!" Evie exclaimed, jumping down off of the bed and running to the door. She stopped there, bouncing on her toes as she waited for her dad. "Come, Daddy!"

Angela's grip on his hand tightened, that worry wrinkle appearing between her brows. She knew better then to send him away when he was on the brink of a panic attack. "Wait a second, Eves. Juice, baby, look at me."

Juice barely heard her, his thoughts were way too loud. His mind was traveling down the well-worn path of guilt, sadness, and regret that it usually did when their move to Texas was brought up. He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling like he couldn't breathe as everything he'd had to deal with in the short time he was back in Charming hit him and hit him _hard_. He'd taken Angela away from her family, the job she loved. She was happier here in California with her family, the funeral home, but he'd taken her away from that. Now they were back, and he'd talked to Chibs and she'd mentioned moving back and Chloe, Lyla, and Dia were gone and Elena was in the hospital and then Angela was in the hospital and Evie had almost been taken and they were going to have twins and…it was all too much.

"Juice!" Angela's voice called, breaking through his haze. Her hand curled around his neck as she stood on her toes to press her forehead to his. He focused his eyes on her face, her dark eyes as they searched his. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Hey, breathe. C'mon. In and out. With me."

He followed her lead, breathing with her, comforted by the feeling of her nails raking over the back of his neck. He hated how worried and almost fearful she looked. Hated that he'd made her feel that way after everything she'd been through. She didn't need that shit. He needed to get it together and soon. "I'm good. I'm good. I got this. I'm okay," he said, nodding quickly. "Sorry. 'm sorry."

She gave him an understanding smile. "Nothin' to be sorry about, baby," she assured him, pecking his lips quickly. "Go take a walk. Eves can stay with us here."

"No! I want Jell-O!" Evie whined, seemingly oblivious to the panic attack he'd just gone through. "Pleeeeease."

"We'll get some later, Eves," Angela promised, her dark eyes leaving his to look over at their daughter.

Juice sniffed, running a hand over his face as he let out a long breath. He had to be strong now for his daughter. No way was he going to let her down. "No, I got this. I'm okay," he rasped, trying his best for a smile and failing.

He went to move away, but she grabbed his arm. "Juice…"

"Don't worry. I got this," he assured her, kissing her quickly. He moved away from her before she could catch him again. "C'mon, Monk. Let's go grab some Jell-O. They might even have green!"

"Yay, Daddy!" Evie exclaimed, reaching up to him.

Juice picked her up again, cuddling her close for a moment before opening the door. He could feel Angela's concerned eyes on his back as he walked out of the room, but he ignored her and pushed forward, listening to Evie as she jabbered on and letting her little voice ease his nerves. As long as he focused on her and what she needed, he wouldn't be drowned by his own thoughts. Evie was his little lifesaver, and he held onto her as tightly as he could.

* * *

Angela closed her eyes as Elena's hands smoothed through her hair, expertly weaving the wet strands over and under each other as she braided it. Juice's little panic attack was weighing heavy on her mind. He'd powered through it, but she had a feeling it was going to be the first of many.

"You're worried about _Juancito._ I can feel it. That was a panic attack, no?" Elena asked, a worried note in her voice.

She sighed heavily and nodded. "Yeah. He gets them every once and a while. Anytime anyone brings up Charming or something reminds him of it. Part of his PTSD. We've gotten better at working through them, and he's hasn't had one in a long time, but I know physically being here isn't going to help him."

" _Juancito's_ strong. He can push through it."

"Has nothing to do with his strength, _Tia._ He's the strongest man I know. Its his head. He can't control his thoughts sometimes, and he gets lost in them. They pull him under until he can't breathe. The first time it happened, I almost drove him to the hospital. I didn't know how to control it, what to do," she explained, shaking her head. "I want him to get help, but so much of what haunts him is illegal, that he doesn't want to risk it, so I researched it. Watched videos online, read books, read every article I could find to help him."

"And is it working?"

"Yeah, thankfully. I mean, I think professionals could help more, but we found what works for him. Its easier for him if I'm there, and if the kids aren't around. Its when I'm not that its harder for him to work through. He...he doesn't do well on his own. And I'm worried that he's going to push me out now that I'm pregnant, 'cause he thinks it stressed me out, but he's so wrong. Him pushing me away stressed me out more than anything. Makes me feel totally useless. I hate that."

Elena tugged a bit on her braid. "You're not useless, _mi amor_. Let him take care of you. That in itself should help him feel better. If he focuses on you, he won't think about all of that craziness, and he'll relax."

Angela laughed; she wished it was as easy as that. "He shouldn't have come back. He should be back in Texas. Working. Thinking about anything but freakin' Charming."

She pulled forcefully on her hair in response making her cringe. "Don't say that! I think it is very honorable that he risked his life _para_ _venir_ to take care of his pregnant wife. That's what a man should do! That's why I love him. He puts his _familia_ first. Always." ( _to come...family)_

"That he does." She smiled warmly at the thought of her loving husband. In the silence that followed, she was keenly aware of how labored and wheezy Elena's breathing was. The sound of it made her own chest hurt knowing how bad Elena's illness was starting to get. "How're you feelin', _Tia_?"

"I'm okay, _mija_ ," she said simply, patting her shoulder before picking up the remote. She turned it on and smiled at the bedazzled man in sitting in his throne yelling in Spanish. "You be quiet now. Walter Mercado's on. _Vamos a ver tu horoscopo_. He'll tell us how our weeks will be like." ( _We're going to watch your horoscope)_

She rolled her eyes at her Aunt but smiled anyway. Elena and her mother were both avid believers in astrology, and while she only half believed in it, Angela enjoyed watching the overdressed man on the television yell the week's horoscopes. It brought her back to her childhood when she'd sit in the kitchen after school with Elena playing dominos while her aunt helped translate the harder Spanish words in her horoscope and helped explain what they meant. She stretched out next to Elena, resting her head on her shoulder, grateful for just this little moment of peace with one of the people she loved most.

She must've dozed off because the sound of the door slamming jerked her awake. Lino rushed in, his eyes wide. "Angela, we gotta go. They know we're here," he exclaimed, rushing towards the bed.

Angela sat up and looked over at Elena, hating the mix of pain and worry on her face. "Lino, you need to relax," she said, slipping to her feet with a grunt. She kissed Elena's cheek, squeezing her hand gently. "I'll see you _manana_ , _Tia_. _Te quiero mucho_." ( _tomorrow, Aunt...I love you a lot)_

Elena nodded slowly, waving her away. "Love you too, _mija_. Now go, my favorite _novela_ is going to be on _y_ Lino makes too much noise."

"Typical Aquarius," she teased, winking at her aunt while Lino made a sound of protest. She shoved him out of the room before he could defend himself. Once they were outside of the room, she grabbed him by the ear, tugging him away from the door just in case Elena could hear them. "What the fuck was that? Lena is fuckin' sick and you come in there with _that_? This better be super important. What's going on?"

"It's Lyla this time. We got a video and an…appendage," he replied, scratching at the back of his neck. "The note was for both clubs. Delivered here. With instructions for a meet. They know we're here, and if they know we're here, that means everyone is in danger. We gotta go. Lock down. Now."

"An _appendage_?" she asked, still trying to comprehend all of the information he'd just laid on her.

"Yeah. Could be a toe…or a pinky. I dunno, I didn't get a good look," he explained, grabbing her arm and practically dragging her down the hall. "They set up a meet for tomorrow. Gonna try to see if they'll bring the girls down to it so we can get them back once and for all."

Angela winced as Lino walked a little too fast, the movement pulling at her stitches, a painful reminder that she was not functioning at one hundred percent. "Slow down, Lee," she said, slowing her own pace and pulling him to a stop. "Does Kenny know?"

"No. We're keepin' the kids out of this shit. Less people that know the better."

"Bullshit. That's his stepmother. He needs to know what's going on!"

Lino shook his head slowly. "Nah, _chiqui_. We're not doin' that," he said, starting to walk again, slower this time. "Sons think its what's best for him and the other kids."

Anger swept through her, her hands clenching into fists. "Fuck them! He is _my_ son. _I_ get to decide what to tell him," she seethed, scowling at him.

"Why you gotta rock the boat, huh? The kid's already got a lot on his plate. He don't need to know this shit."

Angela stopped again, making Lino stop. "Yes, he does! Ken has been lied to by the Sons for his whole _life_ , and I will _not_ be a part of that."

"Woah, woah! Okay, crazy," Lino said, holding up his hands in defeat. "Tell him whatever then. Piss off the Sons. Ain't like you haven't done it before. Just chill. You're gonna pop a stitch or somethin'. Keep the damn hormones in check, lady. _Damn_."

She gave him a quick shove. "Shut up. This is insane, Lee. We came here for Elena, not to be kidnapped or run off the road. Just for my aunt. So all this craziness…is fucked up. We shoulda just stayed home."

Lino moved his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "Well, I know Lena's glad you're here, and I am too. Everyone was stoked to hear you were comin' back. And I know you love bein' home too. 'cause Cali's your home. 's always gonna be."

Angela grimaced, thankful Juice wasn't around to hear him. After the mini panic attack he'd had in Elena's room a few hours before, she knew hearing Lino reinforce his feelings would send him into another one. "That's not true. Juice is my home. Wherever he is, _that's_ home.

"Whatever you say, _chiqui_. Just glad you're here. Right in time to see me become a Daddy."

She smirked at him, rolling her eyes. There was no way she was going to be there for _months_. As good as it sounded to her, Juice wouldn't be able to handle that. Their life was in Texas now. That wasn't going to change. "Lee, we're definitely not gonna be here that long."

"Uh-huh, that's what you think," Lino said, kissing her temple. "You gonna be stuck here for a long time, yo."

Angela smoothed a hand over her stomach, hating how much she liked the thought of staying in California. With SAMCRO knowing Juice was alive, it was a possibility now. They could move back. Not to Charming, of course, but maybe an hour or so away. She could commute to Charming, work in the funeral home again, and they could be close to her Mom and Aunt and Hap and Chloe and the Alvarezes. It wouldn't be so bad. She shook her head. No. It was impossible. It would do Juice more harm then good. It wasn't worth it. She gave Lino a small smile, shaking her head. "I wouldn't bet on it."

* * *

 **:)**

 **Thank you all for being so patient with me! I know I've been really bad about updating, but there's been some craziness at work so I've been a little distracted. Hope you're all doing well!**

 **Also I threw the names of the Mayans from the new Mayan show they're making in there for kicks. ;) Not sure when the new show will be airing or what the characters are like, so I kept it a little vague. But I thought making the connection would be fun!**

 **Please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you all! :)**

 **~Love Ink**


	14. Brothers

**Gah! It's been WAY WAAAAY too long since I updated! I apologize for that. This chapter was a crazy struggle probably because my real life has been a little insane as well. Next chapter should be up a little faster!**

 **HUGE THANKS to everyone who reviewed! I know I didn't answer reviews like I usually do, but I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible! Just know that I love you all and really appreciate each and every review! You guys are awesome!**

 **Its been a rough couple of weeks so any kind of comment or encouragement is very much appreciated! Love you all!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Soli, Lino, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 14: Brothers_

 _By Love Ink_

Juice listened to Angela point out different places that were a part of her childhood as they drove through Oakland. It was strange to see the city he'd only known as "Mayan Territory" through her eyes. Her face was all lit up and beautiful, excited to point out different things to him. Her old street, her high school, her favorite places to eat, and the cemetery where her father was buried. He recognized that place. She'd brought him there once to 'meet' her father. He loved that memory. Loved that she'd trusted him enough to let him more into her world, to give him a glimpse of her past. It was one of the few memories he had with her that wasn't tainted by the club. No cuts, no bikes, hell, he'd even worn a hat. It was just the two of them acting like a totally normal couple in a cemetery of all places.

"You love this place, don't you?" Juice asked, reaching out to grab her hand.

A soft blush colored her cheeks as she ducked her head. "Nah. I just love the memories I have here," she answered, moving her fingers between his and squeezing his hand when they passed Alvarez's warehouse, a frown turning down the corners of her mouth. "Well, some of them."

He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles as he pulled into Alvarez's house. He was already dreading spending another night in Esai's room surrounded by old memories. "What do you think about getting a hotel somewhere?"

"Think our shadow would have a problem with that," she said, looking into the rearview mirror at Lino. "As would the rest of these guys."

Juice grimaced at the sight of the motorcycles lining the sidewalk in front of the Alvarez house. "I hate this."

Angela leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I know. But they're keepin' us safe," she pointed out, pushing open the door. "C'mon, let's go."

As soon as she got out of the car, a wolf whistle broke through the quiet night before slow clapping joined it. Juice watched an oily haired Mayan move to greet her, giving her a hug that lasted a little too long. " _That's_ Angel," Lino stated, opening Evie's door and carefully taking the sleeping girl out of her carseat. "See the hair cut? Fancy, huh?"

Juice raised an eyebrow, taking in the guy with the plaid Pendleton and cut. His hair was long in the middle and shaved on the sides. "Fake ass mowhawk if you ask me," he muttered, taking Evie from his arms. "Least I had a real one."

"No you didn't. You were missin' the spikes," Lino commented, gesturing to his head.

"Shut up," he said, shaking his head at him.

He nodded his 'hello' to the rest of the Mayans, shaking their hands as best as he could with Evie asleep in his arms. After meeting them all, he quickly excused himself from the group to put Evie to bed. Angela offered to go in with him, but he told her it was fine if she stayed to catch up with them for a bit. Of course, he made sure to give her a good, long kiss and a quick swat on the ass before he left to show them who she belonged to first. He carried Evie up the stairs and to Tessa's room, not at all surprised she didn't wake up on the way over; she was a heavy sleeper like him. He could just make out the Tessa's light eyes as she peered at them from where she was sitting on the top bunk. Juice lay Evie down in the lower bunk, tucking her in and kissing her forehead. He straightened, giving Tessa a small smile. "How you doin', T?" he asked the littlest Alvarez.

She sniffled a bit, wiping at her eyes. He wondered if she'd been crying long. "I miss Mami. She used to tuck me in and gimme a kiss. Soli said I was too high and she couldn't reach because her feet hurt."

He cringed; he couldn't blame Soli for not wanting to scale the bunk bed ladder in her pregnant state, but poor little Tessa didn't understand that. "Well, I don't have that problem. You want me to tuck you in, sweetheart?" he asked her. At her nod, he climbed the first two rungs so he could reach her then tucked her in, kissing her forehead the same way he did to his own daughter. "Good night, princess."

He went to move away, but her voice stopped him as she asked, "Juan? If Angela is my sister, what're you?"

He chuckled, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "Think I'd be your brother-in-law."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "A brother? I had a brother a long times ago. Esai."

"Yep, he's your brother," he replied awkwardly, unsure of where to go with this.

"You're my new brother now 'cause he's gone?"

Juice shrugged a shoulder. "Not new. Just other," he explained, not wanting to step on anyone's toes, dead or alive. "But I'm here to help take care a you like a brother. All right?"

"Okay," she replied around a yawn. " _Buenas noches, 'mano_."

"Night, sweetheart," he replied, stepping off the ladder. He leaned in to kiss Evie's cheek once more before heading across the hall to Esai's room.

He hated that tiny room more than he could put into words. Sitting down on the bed, he wrinkled his nose at a picture of Angela and Esai that was on the nightstand, opening up the nightstand drawer to throw it inside only to find that it was already full of stuff. Raising an eyebrow, he rifled through it curiously. Most of it was bullshit guy stuff. A lighter or two, cigarettes, hair gel, lotion, some tissue, and a box of Magnum condoms. "Gross," he muttered, quickly moving them aside before he dwelled on the idea of Angela being one of the girls Esai had used those condoms with.

Underneath all that bullshit was a small stack of greeting cards and letters with a string tied around them and a leather bound journal. He picked them up, setting him in his lap. He recognized Angela's handwriting on one of the letters and frowned, thumbing the edge of the envelope that was yellow with age. He knew he shouldn't read them. That the journal and the letters were not meant for his eyes and no good could possibly come from reading the musings of a dead man, but he couldn't stop himself. Taking in a deep breath, he opened up the journal to the first page. "All right, Esai. Let's see what you got."

* * *

Angela yawned as she trudged her way up the stairs, rubbing at her aching back. As much fun as catching up with the Santo Padre boys had been, she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to get in bed with her husband and sleep. Maybe if she asked, he'd give her a back rub; she could sure as hell use one and was a little excited at the thought of having his hands all over her once again without the hospital wires and tubes getting in the way.

After checking in on Evie and Tessa, she slid into Esai's room with a sigh, happy to find Juice sitting on the bed, his back to her. "Hey you," she greeted, closing the door behind her. His whole back tensed at the sound of her voice. Almost as if he was mad at her. But he had no reason to be mad at her; she hadn't done anything wrong. She stepped around the bed so she was in front of him. "Everything okay?"

Juice lifted his head slowly, a book in his hand. There was anger smoldering in his eyes as he thumbed the corner of the book pages. "When was the last time you saw Esai?"

She raised an eyebrow, confused as to why he was asking her that and what had triggered his anger. "I dunno. Its been a really long time, baby. Long before I met you. Why?"

"You sure it wasn't at Dubrowski's?" he asked, an accusation in his tone. He held up the book to her. "Esai's journal. Said he went to the funeral home the night before he died. That _he_ was the one who hit you, not some client like you told me."

Her eyes widened a little as she remembered that night. Esai had approached her out of nowhere after work one night, smacked her across the face when she hadn't given in to his advances. He'd been on edge and scared about something he'd done, and he'd come to her for comfort. She'd lied to Juice about it purely out of convenience and fear of him leaving her if he found out she was still in contact with the Mayan. "Shit. Yeah."

"So you lied to me," he stated, frowning at her.

Angela sighed softly, thinking of the best way to explain it to him. "Juice, I lied to you because I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want you to push me away or do something stupid like go and kill him."

He shook his head slowly. "You shoulda told me. He thought…he thought he was gonna win you back, Angel. He was gonna try. If Hap hadn't killed him the next day, he woulda come back for you. Then what?"

"Then nothing. I am _yours_ ," she insisted, taking his face in her hands with a small smile. "Have been since the moment I found you in that damn diaper and you came over to watch me _embalm_ someone. And if Esai was still around, he'd have to deal with that. There was no way he was going to win me from you."

"You don't know that," he murmured, hanging his head.

"I do," Angela scoffed, taking the book from him. She flipped through it to a specific date, running her fingers over the handwriting there as she searched for something and slightly surprised when she found it. The fucker had written about it and how sorry he was for it and how stupid he'd been to do it. She pointed to it as she handed it back. "This was the first time he hit me. Literally slapped me across the face. Not hard enough to bruise, and I was in so much shock that I…I couldn't hit him back. I just left. Ran. Straight to Lino's house. Ask him if you want. The next day E came to my house. Got on his knees to apologize, and I took him back because I didn't want to lose him or his family. I was terrified that we'd break up, and I'd be alone again."

Juice's dark eyes were sad as the lifted from the book to her face. "Baby…"

She flipped to another date, remembering it as if it'd been yesterday. Just skimming over the words brought back the feeling of fear, anger, and humiliation. She hated the way reading about it made her feel, but she had to show Juice; he had to know why he was a thousand times better than Esai. Why she appreciated him so much. "This was the second time," she explained, showing him another date. "It was at a party. Actually in front of people. He was drunk and I was talking to one of his brothers, and he didn't like it. He called me out on it, and I mouthed off. Another slap. Always open handed but hard. Hard enough that people turned to look. So I punched him back. Knocked him on his ass. Told him if he did it again, we'd be over."

Angela cleared her throat, shaking her head. "He didn't do it again. Probably because Hap came home and got me outta there," she continued, flipping to another date. The date Hap had physically picked her up and taken her out of Esai's apartment. Away from the life that had been threatening to suffocate her. As much as she'd fought against her cousin then, she'd forever be thankful for him now. By forcing her away from Esai and his family, he'd opened new doors that led her to the life she was living now. A life she loved. "There was a reason I never went back to him, Juice. I grew up and realized I deserved to be treated better."

"Angel, I…"

"So, would I have gotten back together with him?" she interjected, needing to finish her thought. "After all that? And after being with _you_? You who always treated me so well, who appreciated what I did and took care of me when I needed it. Who never put me down or humiliated me. Do you really think I'd give all that up for _him_?"

Juice took the journal from her, putting it back in the bedside drawer before meeting her gaze. "Jesus Christ, Angel. Can't believe he put you through all that."

She nodded solemnly. "I let him. I was young and didn't know better."

"Still doesn't make it right," he pointed out, getting to his feet and moving his arms around her.

She tilted her head back to look up at him, brushing the back of her hand over his cheek. "It doesn't matter now because that all changed when I met you. I understood how a man should treat a woman because of the way you always treated me. Sure, we've had our ups and downs, but I have _never_ felt unsafe around you or worried about you abusing me verbally or physically. My history with E just made what I have with you even more special. Made me feel even luckier to have _you_. So you have _nothing_ to be jealous of because he's super dead, and I love you. So. Much. You gotta know that by now."

He dipped his head to kiss her softly. "Love you too, Angel."

She smiled, feeling a little better when she saw his shoulders relax. "No more of this Esai shit, Juice. We got bigger things to worry about."

Juice sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he did. " 'm sorry. Dunno where my heads been at lately." At her worried look, he gave her a small smile. "Think I just need some sleep."

She nodded, giving him a quick kiss. "Gotta agree with you there. I'm ready for a real bed."

He pulled his shirt over his head, going over to his suitcase and changing into a fresh pair of boxers. "Need help changin'? Know you gotta be hurtin'."

Angela appreciated the offer, but she wasn't an invalid. Injured or not, she was totally capable of dressing herself. "Nah, I got this."

She could feel his eyes on her back as unbuttoned her shirt and slid out of it, wincing as the movement tugged at her stitches. Moving by him, she went to his suitcase to grab one of his shirts to sleep in. He moved behind her, his rough fingers moving over her arms, tracing the outline of the bandages on her side. Shivers went down her spine at the feel of his touch. His lips traced over the tattoos on her back as he unclasped her bra with practiced ease. "Let me," he murmured, against the skin of her shoulder.

She closed her eyes, leaning back into him, and enjoying the feeling of his fingertips as they caressed her skin. "Feels good," she murmured, closing her eyes as she slid off her bra.

He chuckled, kissing her shoulder. "Can't go much farther than this. No excercisin' 'til you're all healed up."

"That was just a suggestion," she stated, turning around to face him. His eyes instantly went to her face, his fingers playing with the waistband of her panties. She knew he was doing his best not to look down at her bare chest, to control himself. "I'm okay, Juice."

He shook his head slowly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "No, you're not," he rasped, his voice thick with lust. "Don't want you poppin' any stitches."

"So go slow," she suggested, pressing herself against him.

He closed his eyes letting out a long breath. "You're killin' me, smalls. You gotta stop, baby. If I hurt you…"

Angela pulled away knowing where he was going with that thought. If she pushed him to do what she wanted, and he accidentally hurt her, it'd kill him. He'd never touch her again. "Okay," she said softly, pulling one of his shirts over her head. She started walking to the door, so she could go brush her teeth when he called her name. She turned, eyebrow raised in question.

"You gonna just walk outta there with no pants on? You know how many guys there are around here?" he asked in disbelief.

"Juice, Tig and that Scottish asshole walked in on me wearing nothing but panties and your cut once and you had no problem with it; what's going on with you now?"

Juice shrugged a shoulder as he leaned against the dresser. "I dunno. I just…I trusted them then. I knew they weren't after you. I don't know these guys."

She smiled warmly, crossing over to him and taking his face in her hands. "You know and trust me, though, right?" she reminded him, smirking when he nodded begrudgingly. "But if it makes you feel better, gimme a pair of your boxers."

He looked relieved by her reply, turning and handing her a clean pair. "Thank you."

"You need to relax, _'mano_ ," she told him, doing her best to sound like a _cholo_. "I'm yours and only yours, _Papi_."

He laughed, shaking his head at her and smacking her ass as she walked by him. "Love you, _Mamacita_."

* * *

The intense pain in Angela's side woke her up in the middle of the night. She sat up with a quiet groan, doing her best not to wake Juice who was still snoring away beside her. As soon as she got to her feet, the urge to vomit came over her. She quickly made her way to the bathroom and emptied what little she had in her stomach into the toilet, grimacing as the action pulled at her stitches. "Fuck me," she muttered, sitting back on her ass. Her eyes caught the little orange container sitting on the edge of the sink. Her pain meds. Carefully, she got up, holding her side as she did so. The nurse had warned her that it was going to hurt like a bitch, but she hadn't truly believed her. Now, she understood what she'd meant. She brushed her teeth quickly and grabbed the bottle, deciding to get something to eat before she took one. Pain meds on an empty stomach never worked out well for her.

As she headed towards the kitchen, she noticed the light was on, something she usually associated with Dia being there. When she was younger, the older woman would stay up late waiting for Marcus to come home, a mug of tea cupped in her hands. On the nights she spent at the Alvarez household, Angela tried to stay up and sneak away from Esai to spend time with her, ask for advice, and learn what she could. A lump formed in her throat when she realized it wasn't going to be Dia down there; she was gone and while they were working their asses off to find her, they hadn't yet. It was yet another worry weighing heavily on her mind.

With a sigh, she rounded the corner into the kitchen, surprised to find Soli standing there, a mug of tea in her hands, a pan with a tortilla warming in it on the stove, and an open jar of peanut butter next to her. She was wearing a cute pajama set, her pregnancy bump just barely visible.

Angela bit back a laugh as she watched her take the tortilla out, smear on some peanut butter, roll it up, and take a big bite while putting another tortilla in a skillet. "Pregnancy craving?" she asked, alerting Soli of her presence.

Soli froze like a prey who'd seen a predator. She swallowed what was in her mouth, taking a sip of tea as she nodded. "Peanut butter. Been puttin' it on everythin'."

"Can you spare a tortilla? Gotta put somethin' in my stomach before I take these," she said, shaking the pill bottle. Soli nodded, handing her a plate, a nervous look on her face. She took it from Soli with a quiet thanks, ripping off a bite and putting it in her mouth. "Peanut butter's not a bad cravin'. With Eves, I craved tequila. My assistant bought me those margarita flavored jelly beans to see if it'd help. It didn't. Just made me crave the popcorn jelly beans."

She smirked a little, shaking her head. "That's a lot of sugar."

Angela fought the urge to roll her eyes. She was doing her best to be nice to Soli despite their history, she didn't appreciate being scolded in return. "The baby wants what it wants. Hopefully, these two bugs take after their Dad and crave healthier shit."

"Right. You're pregnant too," Soli muttered, staring back down in the pan as if she was disappointed. "With twins to top it off. Angela Ruiz, always gotta best me, huh?"

She scowled, shaking her head. "Don't be ridiculous. I didn't _plan_ to have twins just to piss you off or best you. Trust me, one would be a lot easier," she said, trying her best to sound light and kind. "And its Ortiz now. Haven't been Ruiz in years."

"Whatever."

Angela let out a long breath, chewing on the tortilla pensively. "Congrats, by the way. Lino is so excited about the baby. He and Juice were comparing ultra-sounds. Lino's convinced you got a soccer star in there."

That got a warm smile from Soli. She rubbed a hand over the small bump of her belly. "He's such a good guy. All sweet and supportive. Not like those other Mayans. Never woulda guessed I'd end up with him. Always thought it'd be…"

"Esai?" Angela filled in, eyebrows raised.

Soli had the decency to look a little guilty. "Well…yeah, actually," she answered on a sad shrug. " 's what my mom always wanted, at least. Said it'd make me royalty."

She snorted at that ridiculous idea. "That's bullshit. He was no prince, I can tell you that."

"Wouldn't know. All he ever talked about was you," she said bitterly. "He'd fuck girls all the time, sure, _pero_ he didn't do more than that. Half the time he called them by your name."

"You know this from experience?" she teased.

"Yeah, unfortunately. My Mom kept pushing and pushing, and you were finally gone, so I went for it."

Angela raised an eyebrow; that was news to her. "How'd that work out for you?"

"I mean, the sex was…good, but then he called me your name, so I punched him as hard as I could. I split his lip and everything."

She laughed, knowing well what Esai's reaction was when he got smacked in the face; she'd done it a time or two herself. "Good."

"Yeah, well, you're not the only one with a strong right hook anymore," she said, dipping her head to hide a proud smirk.

Angela smirked right back. "You finally get some boxing lessons then? 'cause last time I checked, you were all about hair-pulling and scratching."

"Lino's into it. Got into a fight with a _pulga_ and he saw the hair-pulling and decided to teach me how to box. That's how we got started, actually," she explained, nervously tucking a hair behind her ear. "He told me he could teach me how to fight better. Surprised me. Never really had a guy interested in spending time with me outside the bedroom."

"He's a great one. Good heart, loyal."

"Yeah," she agreed around a laugh, a blush rising to her cheeks. "Is…are you okay with me being with Lino? I know it must be weird for you since you love him like a brother and you hate me…"

Angela shrugged a shoulder. "I don't hate you, and you don't need my approval to be with Lino. As long as he's happy, I'm happy. Plus, you saved my daughter. Hard to hold any grudges against you after that."

"You were always better at that turn the other cheek shit," Soli commented on a soft sigh. "Your daughter is adorable, by the way. So sweet."

"I know, right? Thanks," she said around a bite of tortilla. "Well, thanks for this. I'm gonna…head back up there."

Soli nodded slowly. "I um…I just wanted to say I'm sorry for all the shit I did back in the day."

"Are you really or does Lino just really, really want us to be friends?" she asked, slightly amused by the apology.

"Little of both. Lino does _really_ want us to be friends," she replied with a smirk.

Angela nodded slowly. "That he does," she said on a laugh. "We're cool, Soli. Just don't hurt him. He's a good guy, and he likes you a lot for some reason. I'm willing to look past all our shit as long as he's happy."

"Think I can handle that."

"See you tomorrow, Sol," she said, popping open the pill bottle and shaking one out into her hand. She smirked to herself as the conversation with Soli ran through her head again; she really hadn't changed all that much from high school. The biggest difference was Esai was no longer there for her to try and win over. Soli didn't see her as competition anymore which pretty much removed the only thing Soli really hated about her. With that gone, it seemed she was ready to at least try to be cordial. Angela didn't mind; she'd play nice as long as Soli did.

* * *

Kenny sat at Angela's old desk in the funeral home going through the pictures she had on her laptop of all the decedents she'd taken care of. He was still in awe of his adopted mom's reconstruction skills. She could make anyone look good, no matter how bad they looked when they came in. He looked across the way to Bones' desk where he was busy ordering shit for the funeral home. Skeeter was rarely there lately. He swore he was going to retire the moment Kenny graduated from school or if Angela moved back to Charming. The latter was never going to happen, so he was going to have to wait four years until Kenny graduated. "You see this one? Guy blew his face off. Ma made it look perfect," Kenny mused to his best friend.

"Dude, there are so many like that, it's not even funny. I don't know how she does it. I try and I try and it never looks as seamless as when she does it," Bones commented, shaking his head in defeat. "She's amazing. Kinda nice to have 'em home, y'know? Feels like old times."

"Yeah, drama and danger included."

Bones frowned, pushing his thick glasses back up his nose. "Yeah. That part sucks. Ellie can't sleep at night. Thinks that 'cause they grabbed Ly, they're gonna get her too," he explained on a frown. "I'm not one of the big, tough SAMCRO guys with the vest. I don't really know how to use a gun or anythin'…I don't know how to make her feel safe. It sucks. She should be with someone who can make her feel safe."

"Its got nothin' to do with you," Kenny said around a sigh. "She doesn't want a douche in a cut. Her whole life has been filled with those, and they've all been hurt or killed. Plus, she knows how to use a gun. It ain't you that's the problem. Its her head. Too many memories."

"Hmm," he mused, leaning back in his chair. "That why you sent Jazzy back home?"

Kenny tensed at the mention of his girlfriend. He still felt embarrassed for sending her away the way he did. She probably thought he was insane. "Yeah. Just don't want her to get hurt."

"Think you're also a little afraid she's going to see everything and run away screaming."

He chuckled and nodded. "Didn't even tell her I was adopted 'til we were at the airport. No one in Texas knows."

Bones raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Seriously? I mean, you don't exactly look like Juice or Ang, and for you to really be Angela's, she'd have to have been like…fifteen when she had you or something."

"I know. That's exactly what people think too. That I was an accident she had with some other dude and Juice adopted me," he explained, running a hand through his long hair. "The other moms whisper behind her back and talk shit. She never corrects them, though. Just ignores it. I told her she can tell them, but she refuses. Says she doesn't give a shit what they say as long as I'm happy."

"You like it over there, right? You're happy?"

Kenny gave him a quizzical look. It felt weird for him to be asking him something like that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…you're moving back here for college and stuff. Are you planning to stay or go back or…" he trailed off, before scratching nervously at the back of his neck. "El wanted to know. She really liked the idea of havin' you back home."

"Oh. I um…I haven't really thought it through yet. I mean, it depends what happens with Jazzy and my parents and Eves…" he trailed off, not wanting to mention the new Ortiz twins since he wasn't sure if Angela had told him about them yet. "Just taking it day by day, I guess."

Bones bobbed his head, typing away at the computer. "Good plan." The front door bell chimed, signifying someone was there. Kenny glanced over at Bones who shrugged. "Go for it, dude."

Kenny smirked, pushing away from the desk and going to the front room. He was surprised to find Piper there in his cut, hands in his pockets. "Hey Pipes. What's up?"

"Hey. I uh…is Ang or Juice here?"

"They're on their way. Should be here in like half an hour or somethin'," he explained, scratching at his elbow. "Why? What's up?"

Piper bit at his nail for a moment, shifting from foot to foot. "The guys who took my Mom…they're setting up a meet for this afternoon. Club just wants to know where they'll be so we can put Quinn on 'em. Prez also said we'll give 'em guns and shit if they feel like they need extra protection."

Kenny was still perplexed as to why Piper was there when the information could've been exchanged with a simple phone call. "Oh good. Dunno if they have guns just yet."

He looked down at his feet before sighing. "I don't know why I came here," he stated on a sad laugh. "This thing with my Mom threw me for a loop, y'know? I mean, I always knew the Sons were dangerous and shit, but…"

"It sucks. Makes you question wantin' that top rocker, huh?"

Piper smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah," he rasped on a frown. "Thought I'd talk to Juice or Ang about it. Think they'd help me out a little. Think if I mentioned it to the Sons, they'd send me packin'."

"Dude, get out while you still can."

"Knew you'd say that," he muttered, shaking his head. "But you don't get it. You got this…this perfect little family who loves you. Nice place to live. A fuckin' college scholarship with a job ready for you to walk into. I don't got shit but my Mom. Didn't finish high school, only job I was ever offered was to help out at TM. But with the club, I at least have a family. People who care about me and a good way to earn. The Sons are that for me. You have the Ortiz's and I have the club."

Kenny couldn't fault his logic there; it was the reason Juice had joined in the first place. No wonder Piper wanted to talk to him. "Don't think my parents will tell you anything different then I just did."

Piper shrugged a shoulder. "Probably not," he said on a small smile. "Still need someone to listen. To understand."

"Fair enough," he replied.

There was an awkward pause; both of them unsure of what to say or do. Piper ran a hand over his head, clearing his throat. "They talk about your Dad, y'know. All the time. Call me his son," he said on a frown. "They know I'm not. I'm just a stand in for you right now. Think if you wanted to prospect, they'd forget all about me."

Kenny messed with the heavy ring on his finger; Opie's ring. He couldn't count how many times he'd dreamed of prospecting while growing up. It wasn't until they'd killed Opie that he decided it wasn't something he wanted anymore. Still, the idea he was disappointing his father and grandfather by not wearing the cut like them made him feel guilty. The club was in his blood, yet he wanted nothing to do with it. Some days, he felt like he was being a dishonor to the Winston name, other days, he realized that wasn't even his name anymore. "I don't think that's true. You don't gotta worry about that anyway. I don't plan on prospecting anytime soon."

"You still ride, though, right?"

Kenny smirked, thinking of the beautiful Harley he'd left behind in Texas. "Hell yeah, I do. Wanna see my ride?" he asked, pulling his phone from his pocket.

Piper grinned and nodded, stepping in closer to look at the phone he was holding. "She's a beaut," he commented with a smile. "Ope's old ride, yeah?"

"Yeah. Juice and I put on some new mods, re-did the paint job and everythin'," he said, showing off the designs. "You get the other one he fixed up?"

He nodded, handing him the phone back. "Yeah, actually. Guy he sold it to trashed it. Brought it back to the shop to see if we could fix it. Turns out the damage he did would cost almost double the amount he paid to begin with, so I made him an offer on it. Gave it to me half price 'cause he just wanted to be done with it. Wanna see her?"

"Hell yeah," he answered, following him out the door.

Piper gestured to the beautiful bike, a proud smile on his face. "It was totaled when he brought it in, so it doesn't really look like Ope's old one, but the bones are there."

Kenny nodded, looking over the motorcycle appreciatively. "The matte black paint job with the black rims is sick. Could use some graphics or somethin'."

"I know. Gonna put a Reaper on it like Ope's," he said, bobbing his head. "Need my top rocker first, though. I'll get that, pimp this out, and then get Hap to do my tats."

"That why you don't have ink yet?"

"Yeah. You got any?"

Kenny nodded. He had a few pieces but none that were easily visible. His largest was across his chest; angel wings with a _Dia de los Muertos_ skull in the middle. The letter's 'D' and 'A' hidden in the designs on the skull's forehead. A tribute to both of his mothers. He also had 'Ortiz' in huge tribal style letters across his back and shoulders, 'Winston' on the inside of one of his upper arms, and a North star with an 'E' in the middle tattooed on the back of his calf for Evie and Ellie. His newest was a sprig of jasmine tattooed on the inside of his other upper arm for Jazzy. She'd flipped out when she'd seen it, practically attack him with kisses. "A couple here and there," he replied on a simple shrug. "Family shit."

"Cool. Hap do 'em?"

He shook his head. "Just one. Got 'Winston' tattooed on my arm. Felt wrong havin' someone else do it. He's a good artist though. Did all my Ma's."

Piper nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Can't wait to get some ink. The guys give me shit about not havin' any all the time. Keep callin' me, White Board. 'Cause I'm white and clean."

Kenny laughed. He had to admit, it was nice to get reacquainted with Piper. He'd forgotten how easy it was to talk to him, how well they got along. "Don't listen to 'em. Wait 'til you find somethin' you want forever, 'cause this shit doesn't go away. You seen my Dad's big ass black rectangle. It's not the coolest looking thing ever."

"Noted," he said on a chuckle. His burner went off, and he frowned. "Shit. I better go. See what the hell is going on. Good catchin' up, though. We should go grab a drink some time."

"Sounds good, brotha," he said, going in for the bro-hug. It was strange to him how easily the term of endearment came to him. Piper was his real stepbrother after all. True, he'd been a shitty brother in the past, but he wanted to change that. With Lyla gone, Piper needed a shoulder to lean on now more than ever especially if he was questioning if he wanted to prospect. "I'm here if you need anything, all right? Even if its just to like...play video games or whatever. Think its time we start acting like actual brothers and shit."

Piper gave him a friendly smile and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Ken. See you around."

* * *

 **Bit of a filler, I know, but I'm moving things along a bit. The big meet will be in the next chapter! More action in that one, I swear! :)**

 **Thanks again for being patient and bearing with me! If you get the chance, please leave me a review! I love hearing from y'all!**

 **~Love Ink**


	15. Blood

**I'm SO SORRY it has taken me FOREVER to update! Real life has been a little crazy, and I also took a little vacation to de-stress a bit! But I'm back and hope to update more frequently!**

 **I cannot thank everyone who took the time to read, review, favorite, and follow enough! You guys are awesome for sticking with me! I really appreciate your patience! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: _Sabrina (_** _Thanks for checking in! I know its taken me awhile to update, but everything's okay over on my end. Hope you're doing well too!), **Brittney, Guest 1** (A friendship between Piper and Ken is in the works. They are technically brothers after all ;)), **Candace, and Katrina.**_

 **BIG thanks to TeamBlaus4Ever and Ang R for their help with this one! :)**

 **WARNING : Someone dies in this chapter. In the first part. Don't hate me.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 15: Blood_

 _By Love Ink_

Chloe didn't know where they were taking them. Her captors had come in, thrown bags over their heads, and brusquely picked them up to take them somewhere. Luz had asked a few times where they were going, Lyla too, but neither of them had received answers. Somewhere along the way, they'd gotten split up too. From what she could tell, she was with Lyla meaning they were probably going to meet with the Sons. At least, she hoped so. A meeting with the Sons could mean they were one step closer to being freed from this hell. She shifted nervously in her seat; it felt like they'd been stopped and sitting in the hot car for hours now. She closed her eyes, tilting her head against the plush leather seat trying her best to fall asleep just to pass the time. It wasn't like there was much else she could do. The sound of Harleys in the distance had her wide awake though; they were there. Happy was there. She could feel it.

She leaned closer into what she assumed was a window, trying to hear anything she could. The voices were muffled though. The man she assumed was sitting in the driver's seat's phone rang, and he answered, speaking in quick Cantonese. She felt her heart speed up as she did her best to translate what they were saying. She hadn't spoken the language since her Mother had died, but she found she understood bits and pieces. What she could understand chilled her to the bone. This meeting was a front. They were using it to distract them so they could go after someone else.

"Jesus Christ," she murmured, realizing she knew exactly who they were going after. Angela. They were getting both clubs together so she'd be left unguarded. But there was no way. No way would they leave her unattended. They weren't that dumb.

The door beside her opened, hand grabbing her arm and forcefully pulling her out of the car. The bag was ripped off her head, and she breathed the fresh air in deeply; it felt like years since she'd last been outside. She blinked in the bright sun, her eyes adjusting to the change. Then she saw him. Sitting on his bike beside Chibs, doing his best to look nonchalant, above it all, tough. He stood when their eyes met, though. Unfolding himself to his full height, his dark eyes filled with a mixture of anger and worry, his jaw ticking as his hands curled into fists.

She stood strong, breathing in deeply knowing that to panic in front of them would show weakness and that was one thing she didn't want to do. She could keep it together, though she couldn't say the same about Lyla who was sobbing beside her. Her eyes met Happy's, holding his gaze as Chibs and Shang, one of Charlotte's most trusted men, discussed whatever business deal they were doing. " _Angela_ ," she mouthed to Hap, hoping he'd understand. His brows furrowed in confusion for a moment, so she did it again. He didn't understand what she was saying but Tig did. The wild haired man cursed softly under his breath, hitting Happy's arm before backing towards his bike.

"Hey! You guys not taking me seriously?" the main Triad shouted, taking his gun out from behind his back. He pointed it straight at Lyla's head, pressing it to her temple. "Best start listenin' or the blonde gets a hole in her head."

A sob left Lyla's lips as she almost crumbled to the ground. Two of the other Triads grabbed her, holding her up right. Chibs held his hands up. "Easy there. Don't do anythin' rash."

"We want the guns and the turf. You've been givin' the guns to the Mayans. That ain't gonna fly anymore. You give us the guns, we give you your women. Get it?"

"Guns aren't in our control anymore. Irish deal with the Mexicans now. Give us our girls back 'n' we'll see if we can make a deal of it."

Shang shook his head, chuckling. "Don't play me. You're still pullin' the strings, Scotty. Ain't no way those Irish crackers would work with anyone else but you. Hear they're not a big fan of color."

"They tolerate color just fine nowadays," Chibs lied, nodding his head. "We got no play in this, Shang. You want the guns 'n' the turf, you're messin' with the wrong club."

Chloe heard the door of the car behind them open. A throat cleared before Charlie Lin stepped forward dressed impeccably in her pencil skirt, blouse, and suit jacket. She walked confidently towards them in her stilettos, the red soles of them standing out in contrast to her dark outfit. "Do you think we're stupid, Mr. Telford?" she asked with a small grin. "You and your band of thugs obliterated my brother and his silly little troupe of idiots. Henry was an idiot. He underestimated you rednecks in leather."

Chibs stood a little straighter then, holding out a hand to block Rat who took a step forward as if to lunge at her. "Now, wait just a minute…"

"But I did my research," she continued, cutting him off with a little smile. "A lot of it. And I found not only are you helping the Mexicans orchestrate the gun trade, because Lord knows they can't handle that on their own, but you're also in the whorehouse business with them, helping them earn the money they needed to take their turf back from the Niners. And when the Niners needed you to help them make sure the Mayans stayed true to whatever bullshit agreement you guys had, you turned your back on them. Said you weren't in the business anymore. That was your biggest mistake. Got them on our side giving me the numbers I needed to take everything back. And I _will_ take everything back."

"Wha…"

Charlie didn't let him speak, though. "Now, what I want from you is easy. You connect us to the gun trade, dissociate yourselves from the Mayans and Diosa, and go back to just being simple mechanics with your cute little garage and porn studio. Give the reigns to someone more capable."

"And you think that's you, dearie?" Chibs asked, smirking at her.

She smiled a little, walking closer to where Lyla was still whimpering, Shang's gun pressed to her temple. "I do," she replied, taking the gun from Shang. She held it in her palm for a moment, her thumb tracing over the metal handle. "You don't?"

He shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "We can't give you what you need. We're just liaisons now. Should be the Irish you go after."

"Should be. But they're in Ireland. You're here. And you can help me get what I need," she said, taking a step towards Chloe. "Set up a meet with the Irish, get them to give _us_ the gun trade, and I'll give you back one of your precious women."

"It's not that easy."

"Oh, I think it is that easy," she replied, tracing the barrel of the gun across Chloe's cheek. She gulped in response, pressing her lips together to keep from making any noise. Charlie smirked back at her; she could probably see the fear in her eyes and was getting off on it. "As easy as getting rid of one of these women would be for me, at least."

Tig moved a hand to Happy's chest just as he stepped forward. Chibs turned to glare at his Sergeant. "Easy, Hap."

"She's a pretty girl, Mr. Lowman. Perfect, smooth skin. I can change that," she said with a wicked smile before smacking Chloe across the face with the butt of the gun. Chloe felt her cheek split open with the force of it, the warm trickle of blood coming after. This time, she couldn't hold in her cry of pain.

"Don't fuckin' touch her!" Happy barked, a move that shocked them all; it wasn't like him to lose his cool like that especially not in front of an enemy.

Charlie's grin grew, her dark eyes pleased. "Look at that, Shang, I've struck a chord. Broke through the Tacoma Killer's ice cold façade."

"Nobody else has to get hurt, sweetheart. We'll figure something out, all right?" Chibs tried to reason, doing his best just to give the girls some time.

" _Missy, sweetheart, dearie,"_ she repeated, shaking her head at them. Her gun still tracing across Chloe's cheek. "He's underestimating me, Ms. Braun. Calling me pet names as if I'm not just as dangerous as they are," she stated with a soft snort, her gun pressed to Chloe's temple. "Shall I show them just how dangerous I am?"

Chloe met Happy's stare; if these were truly her last moments, she wanted his face to be the last she saw. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she prayed to God someone would intervene, that something would stop the crazy bitch from pulling that trigger. Lyla was sobbing now, loud, heart-wrenching cries for her dead husband. Chloe closed her eyes as Charlie cocked the gun, her breath catching in her throat as the sound of the gunshot filled the air. She expected it to be quick, a wave of pain, and then nothing, but the pain never came. Instead, there was a soft thud by her side. Opening her eyes, she saw Lyla on the ground, blood soaking her blonde hair. Chloe had seen blood before, had worked in the ER and watched someone die before her eyes, but seeing Lyla there, still made her stomach churn. Her eyes immediately went to Happy. He was staring at her with wide eyes, his jaw clenched. She swallowed hard, nodding to him, letting him know she was okay. It took him a moment, but he nodded back, his hands balled into tight fists.

" _I want Ope,"_ Charlie mocked, wiping the blood from the gun while the rest of her crew drew their guns on the Sons. "Pathetic." She turned back to face the rest of the boys who'd gone silent with shock. "Don't underestimate me, boys. Get me that meet with the Irish or you're going to have _two_ bodies to bury. And please, do give my love to Mrs. Ortiz. If you can find her."

With that, she nodded towards her men and they followed her back to the van, covering Chloe's head with a bag as they pushed her inside. She was thankful for the bag this time; it meant they couldn't see her tears. She prayed Angela would stay safe. Prayed Happy would get to her before they could hurt her, and prayed like hell he would find a way to save her from this hell before she met the same fate as Lyla.

* * *

Juice smiled as he led Evie around the different gravestones, not at all surprised by how comfortable she was walking amongst them. She'd gotten bored with just sitting in front of Kozik's with them and had asked to be introduced to more 'angels', so Juice had left Angela sitting with Koz to go visit his other dead brothers and friends. "You know, I met your Mama here," Juice said, nodding to the exact gravestone where he'd first actually met her after Sack had dug up the big Mexican for a decoy. The way she'd looked that day was forever ingrained into his memory. He'd been hooked the second she'd smiled at him. Not that he'd wanted to admit it at the time. "Luckiest day of my life."

Evie smiled as if she understood before pointing at the foreign gravestone. "Who he?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Dunno, really. Was a big guy though, smelly too," he replied on a laugh.

She wrinkled her nose as she giggled. "Stinky man?"

"Yeah, Monk. Super stinky," he said, ruffling her hair.

"Yuck," she muttered, shaking her head. "Where Auntie Tara?"

Juice blinked at her in surprised; his kid had one hell of a memory. Angela didn't talk much about Tara, only when she was telling Evie about strong, smart women did her name come up. He hadn't been her biggest fan towards the end of her life, but he had to admit, she was a good role model career wise. As long as Angela kept her club connections out of the stories, Juice was fine with her telling them. "Umm…I don't really know. Let's see if we can find her, huh?"

"She smart like Mama and me. That what Mama said," Evie said, holding tightly to his hand as they wound their way through the headstones.

"She was." He had a feeling she was close to where Opie and Donna were, but he hesitated going there knowing Jax was most likely buried there too and that was one headstone he did _not_ want to visit with his daughter. He was well aware of Lino and Quinn talking nearby; they were their shadows for the day. Evie was entranced by Quinn; she'd never seen anyone so big and tall in her life. When he'd lifted her onto his shoulders, she'd squealed in delight. Quinn loved every minute of it. Despite his size and brawn, Quinn was a big softie when it came to kids.

"Mama!" Evie screamed, starting to run towards where Angela was.

Juice looked up to see a black van parked nearby his wife, two men jumping out of the back and heading towards Angela. "Shit," he breathed, pushing her towards Quinn. "Go to Uncle Lino and Quinn, Evie. Now!"

Evie ran towards them, already screaming for help while he sprinted towards Angela. She was already on her feet, her hands out in front of her, Kozik's headstone at her back for protection. He didn't call out to her, not wanting to distract her, just pushed himself to run faster so he could help her before they hurt her.

The first man closed in on her, going to grab her and earning himself a kick to the groin. He fell back, rolling on the ground while the other man stepped in his place. He'd ducked her first punches, grabbing her wrist and using his hold to twist her arm behind her back. She dropped her weight, shifting to the side and elbowing the attacker in the groin. As soon as he relinquished his grip, she turned and locked her hands behind his head, bringing it down so she could knee him in the face.

The other man had recovered by that time and grabbed her by the hair. She spun around, grabbing his wrist and trapping it behind his back, pushing upward to dislocate his arm. That's when Juice got there. He grabbed the second guy from the ground, putting him in a carotid hold, determined to knock him out so they could question him later.

Angela was busy smashing the man who had her's head into her knee. He fell back, the back of his head smacking into Kozik's tombstone with a loud crack. The man went limp on the ground, leaving Angela breathing heavily above him. "Thanks for the assist, Koz," she breathed, moving her hair out of her face.

Juice smirked as he let the unconscious man slide down to the ground. "You okay?"

"Don't fucking move!" a voice shouted from farther away. The driver was slowly making his way from the van, towards them, his gun drawn. "You, come with me and no one's gotta get hurt," he said, pointing the gun at Angela.

"Okay! Okay," Angela replied, holding up her hands. She exchanged a quick glance with Juice. "Go back. Take care of Eves. I got this."

Juice shook his head. He knew what she was doing; sacrificing herself so he would get out okay, but there was no way he was going to let that happen. No one was going to take his wife away from him again. "No, you're not going anywhere."

"I love you, Juice. So much. You gotta let me go," she stated, taking a step closer to the man with the gun.

With her arms in the air the way they were, he could see blood seeping through her tank top right over where her chest tube had been. She was hurt. She was hurt and surrendering herself over to someone who wouldn't take care of her, of his kids. "No, fuck that," he spat reaching for her.

"Don't get ballsy, asshole. Just let her come with me and no one else has to get hurt," the gunman urged.

Juice caught something out of the corner of his eye behind the gunman and in one quick move, ran towards Angela, knocking her out of the way at the same time a loud gunshot rang out.

Angela clung to him, her eyes wide with fear. "Juice? Juice! Are you hit?" she asked, her voice shaking as her hands moved all over his body to make sure he was still in one piece.

"I'm good, I'm good," he assured her, pushing her off the ground and holding himself above her. He nodded over to where Lino was standing where the gunman had once been, his gun aimed at the gunman who was now on the ground bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head. "Nice shot."

"Holy shit, I did it," Lino breathed in disbelief of his own aiming skills. "Thought I was gonna miss!"

Juice ignored his freak out while he looked down at Angela. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she rasped, closing her eyes as she exhaled slowly and then inhaled again, testing her lungs. "Yeah, I think I'm good."

He got to his feet slowly, reaching out a hand to gently help her up. Once she was standing, he moved to her side, slowly lifting up the corner of her shirt to see the blood soaked bandage underneath. "Angel…"

"I'm okay," she insisted, though her clenched fist told him she was doing her best to hide her pain. She looked to Lino. "Are they all dead?"

Lino shook his head as he checked the one Angela had taken care of's pulse. "Two dead, one unconscious."

"Good. Get him to Hap. Hopefully he'll be able to get somethin' out of him once he wakes up," Angela stated, doing her best to distract them from her situation. "Where's Evie?"

Lino grabbed a zip tie from one of his pockets and tied the unconscious man's hands behind his back. "With Quinn and the rest of your kids. Inside the funeral home. Totally safe. Didn't see anything but the guys comin' at you."

"Jesus Christ," Angela breathed, carefully lowering herself to the ground again. She leaned back against Kozik's headstone and let out a long breath. Grabbing her cell phone from the ground, she pressed one of her speed dial numbers, putting it on speaker so they could all hear.

Kenny answered on the first ring. "What the hell's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, kiddo. We're all whole. Listen, I need you to turn on the ovens, okay? Turn them on and then go back to the office with Evie. Close the door. Do _not_ let her go out of that room, all right?" she instructed, holding a hand over her side. At Kenny's confirmation, she let out a sigh of relief. "Let me talk to Quinn."

Juice could only marvel at her calm and quick thinking. She was surrounded by men who'd tried to abduct her, yet she was carrying herself as if nothing happened. He took a deep breath, knowing he should be doing the same. He nodded to Lino. "We should get these bodies into the van."

"Yeah," Lino agreed quickly. "I'll move it closer."

He nodded before turning back to Angela. She was sitting at the base of Kozik's headstone, her eyes closed, jaw clenched. His heart twisted in his chest; she was in pain, and he had no way to fix it. "Angel?" he said, squatting down in front of her and brushing a hair out of her face. Her dark eyes opened, a mixture of anger and pain swirling around in their depth. "Think we should get you to a hospital, baby."

She shook her head slowly. "Not right now. The blood, the bruises, they'll ask too many questions," she said, holding her hand up to him, so he could help her up. "Lee, how fast can your guys' doctor get here?"

Lino shifted awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck. "We don't really got one at the moment. Not a good one at least. Ours keep getting shot."

"Are you serious?" she asked, holding her side. Juice could see her slowly breathing in and out, measuring her breath. For the first time in a long time he could see she was honestly worried about herself which meant she was hurting a lot more than she was letting on.

"Yeah _pero_ I'll see what I can come up with." He shrugged in response, looking a little relieved when he saw Quinn heading over to them. "One knocked out, two dead. Angie broke the dude's neck," he told the larger man.

Quinn's light eyes landed on Angela, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Nice one, kid. We got TO and Rat back at the funeral home with the kids. Blocking the office door. We'll get you over there, get you all washed up, have Chibs take a look at you."

"No!" both Juice and Angela said in unison.

"Chlo's gone, so we don't got anyone else. 's either him or the hospital," Quinn said, already hauling up one of the dead guys. "Head to the home. Get cleaned up. We'll take it from here."

Angela leaned her head into Juice's shoulder, closing her eyes. He saw a small tear leak out of the corner of her eye at the same time she let out a quick breath. "Shit," she managed to get out, swallowing hard.

"Angel?" he questioned, even more concerned then he'd been before. She looked paler then before, her brows furrowed in pain. He wondered if the mention of her friend had added to her pain, if that cruel reminder was what broke her.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she assured him, sniffling a bit as she wiped at her eyes. She took in a deep breath, strengthening herself. "Lee, call my Mom. She'll help us out."

Lino raised his eyebrows in shock. "Seriously?"

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, much rather her than Chibs. It'll be fine. Just tell her I fell or something."

"Whatever you want, _chiqui_. Must really hate that Scot if you're willing to call your Ma."

Angela nodded, a grim look on her face as she touched her side. "Yeah," she breathed, wiping the blood that came off on her fingers onto her jeans. Juice was at her side in an instant. "I'm good, I'm good. Just need to sit down for a sec."

Juice narrowed his eyes at her, tempted to sweep her off her feet and carry her to the funeral home apartment, but he knew she wouldn't let him. "All right, baby. Lean on me. Let's get up there."

She gave him a thankful look, moving her arm around his neck and letting him support her as they headed back towards the funeral home. He marveled at her strength as they went, knowing she had to be in some serious pain. She was pushing through it though, the way she always did.

Kenny was waiting for them at the top of the steps, a concerned look on his face as he watched them slowly climb up the stairs. "You okay, Mama?" he asked as he closed the door behind him.

The smile she gave him was more of a grimace. "I'm good, kiddo. Just need a quick shower and a minute to rest," she told him, kissing his cheek. "You go be with your sister. Make sure she's okay."

Kenny nodded, his eyes following after her as she walked inside. Juice set a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Kendo. I got her."

"Okay," Kenny breathed, messing with his big ring. "Um…Boner's got fresh towels there and El laid out some clothes for her."

"Thanks."

He shifted uneasily before scratching at the back of his neck. "What happened, Dad?"

"Those assholes came after her like they did for Dia and Chlo. Guess they realized who she is," Juice explained, running a hand through his hair. He knew what an asset Angela would be to Charlie Lin and her crew; he'd been surprised when they hadn't taken her in the first place.

"Fuck. Are they…did you…"

"They're handled," he assured him.

Kenny let out a long breath. "This is so fucked up," he muttered, shaking his head. He looked over his shoulder to the hallway Angela had walked down. "We should take her to the hospital, Dad. The twins…"

"You take her all bruised up like that 'n' you'll have Child Protective Services on your ass for endangering a pregnant woman," Piper chimed in from his seat on the couch. Juice and Kenny both glared at him at the idea of either of them hurting Angela. The blonde shrugged a shoulder. "You can deny it all you want, but with Juice's record and association with the club, they could take Evie as a precaution."

"Doesn't matter. Graci's on her way," Juice said quickly before Kenny could flip out. "No Sons, no Mayans, just family. Go take care of your sister. Make sure she's okay. She needs you, all right?"

Kenny nodded slowly. "Yeah."

He looked over at Piper, who was focused on his phone, waiting on an update from the Sons no doubt. "Pipes, you armed?" he asked. Piper reached into his cut and pulled out a Glock, waving it in response. Juice smirked at the lazy answer. "Go with Ken. Keep 'em all safe."

Piper got up off the couch with a grunt. "You tryin' to get some alone time in or somethin'?"

Juice couldn't help but chuckle at him. "Shut up and go protect my family. Both of ya," he said, pushing them towards the door. He waited until they were gone before letting out a soft breath of relief.

Slowly, he walked down the hallway towards the master bedroom. He knew that little apartment like the back of his hand. Every inch of it was filled with memories of the beginning of his relationship with Angela. Those were some of the best times. Everything had been going well with the club back then. He had a family, he had his girl, he'd been happy. Letting out a long breath, he shook his head, he had to stop thinking about the past. If he focused on it too hard, he was going to have a damn panic attack and that couldn't happen. Not when Angela needed him to be strong for her.

He headed into the bedroom, smirking at the way she'd left a trail of her clothes leading to the bathroom. Picking up her t-shirt, he grimaced at the large blood stain, now dried and stiff. He folded it, doing the same to the other articles of clothing as he found them. He stepped into steam filled bathroom, setting her clothes on the counter before undressing himself, leaving his own clothes in a messier pile.

Without a word, he pulled back the shower curtain, his eyes raking over Angela, inspecting every inch of her skin. Dark purple bruises were already forming on her arms and legs, but thankfully not on her torso. She'd known how to protect herself. A small part of him hated that she'd had to do it herself instead of him protecting her while another, larger part was proud as hell of his wife.

"I'm okay," her rough voice cut through his thoughts. His eyes left her body and met her gaze, trying to read the expression in her face. "Promise."

He nodded, though he didn't quite believe her. She held out a hand to him, a silent ask for him to join her. Slowly, he climbed into the shower with her, pushing her wet hair out of her face before leaning down to catch her lips in a soft kiss meant to convey how much he cared for her, how happy he was to have her in his life. When the pulled away, she wrapped her arms around him, her face pressed into his neck. He moved his arms around her, making sure they were both under the warm spray of the shower. He heard her sniffle a bit as she let out a shaky breath, allowing herself to be vulnerable in the safety of the locked bathroom. He gave her a squeeze, kissing her forehead. "You don't have to be strong right now, Angel. I got you. You're safe with me."

She nodded, sniffling again. "I know."

"How can I help you, baby? Just want to make it better."

"Just hold me."

He nodded, that he could do. He held her as close and as tightly as he possibly could. "I got you, Angel. Never gonna let you go. You're safe here."

* * *

Angela stood beside where Juice was sitting on the bed, her shirt hiked up so he could see the incision on her side as well as the cut Chibs had done in his attempt to save her life. His eyes were fixed to her side, fingers gently prodding the skin around her wounds. His thumb ran over the stitches in the larger one, carefully inspecting each one. "I don't think you popped a stitch," he said, getting as close as he possibly could to her skin. His brow furrowed in the most adorable way. He looked at the smaller one and frowned. "This is the one I'm worried about. It's still bleeding a little."

She moved her hand through his hair, still wet from their shared shower. "Least I don't need stitches, right?"

"Hmm," he hummed, frowning as he prodded it. She hissed in pain, and he pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned, a look of pain on his own face. "Shit. Sorry, sorry."

" 's okay. You stick your finger in there, you can probably touch my lung," she teased, trying to make light of the situation.

He glared at her a little, shaking his head. "That's not funny."

"Lighten up, Juice. I'm _fine_ ," she insisted, giving a lock of his hair a quick tug. "Babies are fine too. Just relax."

Juice let out a long breath, his hand moving to cup her belly that was just starting to show. She turned toward him, smiling when he pulled her in closer, placing an open mouthed kiss on her stomach. His kisses moved lover, teasing the waistband of her yoga pants as his hands hooked into them, dragging them down a little. A shiver went down her spine, her fingers sliding deeper into his hair to hold him there. "Love you," he murmured against her skin.

"Mmm, love you too," she said on a sigh. He tilted his head back to look up at her. She moved her hand to his cheek, rubbing it lovingly. "You okay?"

"Better than you," he replied, turning his face to kiss her palm. "Just hope it doesn't happen again," he said, sighing softly. "Not gonna lie, you scared the shit outta me. Tellin' me to let you go, steppin' closer to that asshole…you're not invincible, Angel."

"I know," she murmured, her thumb brushing over his cheek. She leaned down to kiss him. "Neither are you."

Juice stood then, pulling her in close to his chest. "I'd do anything to protect you. You're my everything. Couldn't just let them take you away like that."

"One of us has to stick around for the kids, Juice. We can't keep putting ourselves in danger."

"So stop. 'cause I'm not gonna stop trying to protect you."

She smiled a little. God, she loved this man. If someone would've told her years before she'd end up with the goofy biker with tattoos on his head, she would've said they were crazy, but now, she couldn't imagine life with anyone else. "And I love you for that, but I would've been fine. Trust me."

He shook his head at her. "Trust has nothin' to do with it, Angel. He had a gun in your face and you took a step closer."

"If Lino hadn't gotten there when he did, he would've shot you and taken me anyway. Then where would we be? If I went with him, we'd have a chance of it all working out. If he'd killed you, then I'd end up alone again, the kids without a Dad, and if I didn't come back…then _they'd_ be all alone without anyone," she explained on a frown. "Its not just us anymore. Gotta think big picture."

Juice scowled at her, shaking his head again. "I don't want to picture any of that shit. I shouldn't have to any more! This is why we got outta Charming to begin with, remember? To be safe! To not have to worry about guns or bad guys and gangs! This is insane, Angel!"

Angela could see the fear in his eyes , feel his nerves radiating off of him. If she didn't calm him down, he was going to have a panic attack. "Hey, hey, easy there," she said, taking his face in her hands. "I'm okay. We're okay. You kept me and Evie safe. Nothing's gonna hurt us now that you're here, okay? _You're_ in control of that."

He let out a long breath, running his hands through his hair. "That what the websites say to say? Tell me I'm in control?"

She nodded slowly, knowing he hated when she quoted the PTSD websites she spent hours reading. Usually she was better about masking it, putting it in her own words, but she was too tired to think so hard. "Yeah," she answered guiltily. "It's true though. You _are_ in control. If you weren't there, I'd be fighting off _two_ guys instead of just the one. You saved me back there. Without even killing anyone. Now we got a chance at getting info from that guy and saving Dia, Chlo, and Lyla. That was all you."

He let out a long breath, his shoulders relaxing a bit as he absorbed what she said. "Guess so," he muttered, sitting down on the bed. He looked up at her, grabbing the hem of her shirt again and lifting it to see the wounds in her side. "Surprised you told Lino to call your Ma."

"I don't want Chibs here. Know he saved my life 'n' all, but I don't want him touching me again," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. The idea of the Scot with his hands on her made her skin crawl, even if it was for her own benefit. "She probably knows more than him anyway seeing as she's an actual nurse and all."

Juice nodded slowly, a look of relief on his face. "Yeah," he agreed, hanging his head.

She narrowed her eyes at him, worried by his reactions. He was on the brink of a panic attack; she could feel it. "Talk to me, Juice," she urged, sliding her fingers into his hair to push his head back and meet his gaze.

"I'm good, I' good," he insisted stubbornly. "This is about you."

"No, its about _us_ ," she corrected, tugging his hair the way she loved to now that it was long. "Get out of your head, baby. _Talk_ to me. Don't pull your Charming shit again."

Juice smiled a little, sighing softly. "I don't want to stress you out. Not with the babies."

"I know, but you're stressing me out by _not_ talking to me because I can guarantee you, I'm blowing it out of proportion in my head."

He chuckled, shaking his head at her. "I don't know how to explain it the…chaos going on in my head right now. Feels like a fuckin' pin ball machine. Thought I was comin' here to help you with Lena and take care of my girls and the twins and then all this shit happens. Feel like I brought it with me. Like if I'd stayed home none a this woulda ever happened. I'm a jinx, Ang. Always have been."

Angela frowned, scratching at his scalp in a soothing motion. "You and Ken have this ridiculous idea that your presence influences these crazy things when it really doesn't. There's no jinx. There's shitty people in this world who do shitty things. If you want to blame it on a jinx than blame it on fuckin' SAMCRO."

"Doesn't feel that way," he said sadly. "We were normal, Angela. Safe. I'd almost…almost…"

He trailed off in a way that made her a little uneasy. "Almost what?" she insisted.

"Forgotten," he said, his voice hoarser than before. "About all this shit. I got used to normal. Used to not carrying a Ka-Bar and a Glock every day and lookin' over my shoulder anymore. I loved that. Loved that I didn't have to worry about you getting hurt or my daughter getting kidnapped or my son being shot in the street. I felt safe. Hate not feelin' that way anymore."

"I know the feeling, and it sucks. I _told_ you not to come back."

Juice scowled at her. "How am I gonna stay away? If I didn't come back after hearin' you were pregnant, you can bet your ass I'd be here the second I heard you were in the fuckin' hospital."

"So you're not a jinx," she pointed out with a little grin.

"What?"

"You said you woulda come back as soon as you heard I was in the hospital. If you thought you were the jinx, you wouldn't say that because you thought the only reason I got hurt is 'cause you were in Charming, remember?"

Juice smirked. "Guess you're right."

"Dangerous words to say to this one," Graciela said as she strode into the room, her medical bag slung over her shoulder. " _Y que hicistes ahora_?" ( _And, what did you do now?)_

Angela sighed, wishing she had more time to talk things through with Juice. "I didn't _do_ anything. We were attacked," she answered on a scowl. "I'm not even bleeding anymore."

"Here you go, _mi cielo_ ," Nero said, walking in with a plastic carrier in his hand. Juice immediately stood, a panicked look crossing his face as he looked from Nero to Angela nervously. The older man held up his hands. " 'ey, easy there, Juice. Don't got to worry about me. We're good, _mijo_."

Juice seemed to relax a little bit, though he couldn't stop shifting from foot to foot. "Yeah. Right," he said on a nervous breath.

"Good to see you again, Juancito. You got a lovely family."

He managed the smallest smile and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

Angela could sense the tension radiating through him and felt her own stomach turn nervously. "Juice, why don't you go get some air? Give me and Mom some time to catch up."

" _Si, mi amor_ ," Graciela said, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Go, breathe. I'll call you back when its time for the ultra sound."

"Ultra sound?" he asked on an eyebrow raise.

Graci nodded to the plastic case in Nero's hand. "Of course. I took it from the hospital so we can make sure my grandbabies are okay."

Angela couldn't help but smirk at her mother. That piece of equipment had to be worth thousands of dollars, and she taken it just to make sure she was okay. Calling her mother wasn't such a bad idea after all. "So you stole it?"

"Don't be stupid. I _borrowed_ it," she stated, clicking her tongue. She moved in closer to her daughter, pulling on gloves with a snap. "Now, let me see what you did."

Juice moved to stand next to Graciela, looking over her shoulder while she examined the wound. Angela could see her mother was getting annoyed with him and wondered how long it would take her to kick him out. "How's it looking?" he asked, clearly nervous.

"Juancito, _yo te quiero mucho pero_ you need to get outta here. You're making me nervous," Graciela said, glancing towards Nero. ( _I love you a lot but...)_

Nero snapped to attention, slapping Juice on the back in a fatherly manner. "C'mon, Juice. Let's take a break…and a shot. There's bound to be booze around here somewhere."

At Juice's hesitation, Angela gave him a reassuring smile. "Go, baby. I'm good here."

He nodded, leaning in to catch her lips in a quick kiss. "I'll be right back," he told her, kissing her again. "Love you."

"Love you too, goofy. Now get outta here," she replied on a laugh. He smiled a little at her before heading out the door with Nero leaving her alone with her Mom. She let out a long breath, trying not to think about Juice and how upset he'd been. "How _is_ it looking, Mama?"

Graciela was quiet for a moment, muttering to herself in Spanish as she dug through her bag. After a moment, she came back with a little bottle in her hand. "You'll live," she said simply. "The stitches are not torn. Pulled a little. I'm going to put the liquid adhesive on it, and it will be okay. I'm more concerned for my _nietos_."

Angela felt a lump form in her throat as she nodded in agreement. With Juice gone, she didn't feel the need to be strong anymore. Everything she had been holding back to keep him from freaking out, his her like a freight train. She was terrified. Seeing those men come after her, having defend herself like she had...was terrifying. Sure, she'd been trained by Happy and by Kozik on how to fight off the bad guys, but it'd been years since she'd had to do it. When she was young, she'd thought the hours she spent with Koz and Hap going over defense moves were a little excessive, now she was thankful for them. Thankful she had the moves ingrained in her muscle memory to use them when she'd needed them. As grateful as she that she'd gotten herself out of danger, she was scared as hell to find out if it'd affected the babies growing in her belly. "Me too," she breathed, sniffling a bit, staring at the ceiling as she tried not to cry.

Her mom finished what she bandaging her side and straightened up. Snapping off the gloves, she took her daughter's face in her hands, her soft thumbs rubbing over her cheeks to wipe away her tears. "You are a strong women, _mi cielo_. Ruiz women, we're tough. We can handle anything. And you? You have a whole team of guardian angels up there looking down on you, keeping you safe. Your father would never let anything happen to those babies. He protects you. Your _Tio_ Chico protects you and Kozik too. You have three strong men keeping you safe, _mi amor._ You don't have to worry about nothing."

"I know, Mama, but it was bad this time. And I…I lost one before, and it was so hard to get pregnant again. What if I lost them?" she said, hating the way her hands shook as she raked them through her hair.

Graciela pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead. "Oh no, _mija_. Don't think like that. Your babies are going to be just fine. _Vas a ver_ ," she assured her pulling her in for a tight hug. ( _You'll see_ )

Angela wasn't used to her mom hugging her or comforting her. She honestly was surprised she knew how, but somehow, she'd known exactly what to say. "Hope so."

"I _know_ so," she shot back, squeezing her tighter. She pushed her away and held her out at arm's length. "And I am _never_ wrong."

She rolled her eyes, laughing slightly. "Whatever you say, Mama."

* * *

 **I know this was a hard one to read. It was a hard one to write! Hope y'all don't hate me too much for it, but it had to happen to push the story along!**

 **Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Good, bad, ugly, just put it all out there! ;)**

 **Hope you all have a very Happy Halloween filled with loads of treats!**

 **~Love Ink**


	16. The Sons

**I AM SO SORRY! Its been a whirlwind of an end of a year. Lots of crazy stuff happening in my personal life which is why I haven't been able to update much.**

 **Things have calmed down considerably though, so I'm hoping to able to write more!**

 **THANK YOU ALL so much for your constant love and support! I really appreciate all the reviews and your patience! I know I didn't get back to y'all, but I wanted to post this as soon as possible! I'll be replying to all the reviews as they come in though, so please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Evie, Bones and Lino. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 16: The Sons_

 _By Love Ink_

Piper stared out over the cemetery from his seat at the top of the steps leading to the front door of Bones' apartment. He knew Kenny and Bones loved the funeral home. Loved hanging out there at the apartment and walking around the cemetery. He didn't get how they could spend so much time surrounded by death without getting depressed or creeped out. Even Ellie admitted she wasn't a big fan of spending the night there. Of course, she didn't like spending the night at his and his Ma's place either. Ellie preferred staying at her tiny apartment in Berkeley over anything. Frankly, Piper was pretty sure she'd prefer being anywhere but Charming.

He didn't blame her for that. Not after her history there. He, on the other hand, couldn't see himself living anywhere else. Moving to Charming when his Mom married Opie had saved them, given them a good place to live, a nice house, a family. Opie hadn't been a great father figure, but he'd been as close to one as Piper ever had and the few times they'd gone to the SAMCRO clubhouse for a lockdown, the Sons had treated him as if he were Opie's son. He had loved every moment of being in that place. Loved the way the Sons laughed and joked with each other, watched each other's backs. Ever since his first lockdown, he'd been dreamed of prospecting and joining the SAMCRO family. His mom had been all for it too. SAMCRO had given her everything including their brand new house and her job behind a camera. She'd been so happy when they'd given him his Prospect cut on the night of his eighteenth birthday. So proud. His mother's smiling face was a memory he kept revisiting now that she was kidnapped.

With his mom in danger, he was starting to question the Reaper and what wearing it would mean for the people he loved. It was easy to forget all of the bad things that had happened within the club when he was younger especially since he had been shielded from a lot of it. It'd been years since anything truly horrible had happened within SAMCRO. In those years, the Sons had found a strange sort of stability and had started to be less of a gang and more of the brotherhood Piper had always wanted to be a part of. He never thought prospecting would be so hard, though. He was everyone's bitch. Most of the time, he was on his hands and knees cleaning shit or running all over the place doing whatever his brothers wanted. He hated it. It was yet another reason he was debating going through with it all.

Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed and dug through his cut for the little joint and lighter he had stored there. He had just put it in his mouth when the door opened, a very frazzled looking Juice stepping outside. Piper watched him grip the railing at the top of the stairs, letting out slow breaths, his head bowed down. "You okay?" he asked, alerting him of his presence.

Juice's head whipped up, a look of fear flashing through his eyes for a brief moment before he quickly masked it. "Hey. Didn't know anyone was out here," he breathed, running a hand through his hair.

It was weird to see him with so much hair now, Piper thought, looking the older man over. It made him look like a completely different person than the goofy guy he'd met so long ago. "Yeah. Needed some air. Too much anxiety down there with the nerds," he explained on a shrug. He took the joint out of his mouth, playing with it for a moment and just dying to light it. He needed something to calm his nerves, to soothe the churning of his stomach as he waited to hear any news about his Mom. "You mind?"

Juice chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all. Wanna share?"

Piper wasn't too surprised by the question. Once upon a time, he knew Juice had been quite the stoner. "Yeah, man," he said, lighting it up and taking a long toke. He let out the smoke, handing it over to him. "It's good shit. Got it from this weird place called Clear Passages."

He smirked, taking a long toke and holding it in his lungs for a moment before letting it out like a pro. "Good place."

"You know it?"

Juice nodded, passing the joint back to him. "Used to own a part of it."

"No shit? Didn't know that," Piper murmured. He frequented the place after finding some bullshit way to get a card so he could buy shit legally. While he loved all the different types of weed and edibles they had there, he knew it wasn't all they did there. He couldn't count the amount of times he'd gone in there and seen people in the waiting room who clearly weren't there for weed. "They do some weird butt shit there. Keep offerin' it to me."

"Colonics. You should try it some time. They ain't all bad."

Piper looked at him in shock. "You've done it?"

Juice bobbed his head in a nod. "Once or twice. I _did_ own the place," he reminded him on a shrug. "Other two owners bought me out after I 'died'. They didn't really understand why I wanted out, but they knew I was alive. Kinda left a lot of shit hanging that way. Think if one of the Sons actually checked to make sure I was gone, they'd a found out right away."

He shrugged a shoulder. "Think after Jax died, they didn't really care about anything else so much. They were struggling just to keep it all together. No one mentions you unless Kenny is in town or Quinn and Tig are showin' each other pictures of Eves. They compare 'em like trading cards when Chibs isn't around. Ridiculous. Wish Ang would just send them the same ones."

He laughed, coughing on smoke as he did so. "No shit? Didn't realize it was such a problem."

"Yeah. Tig will be like, 'Look at this one, she's in the mermaid costume we got her' and then Quinn will be like, 'You think that's cute, check out this one of her on Ken's Harley.' Its ridiculous. I mean, Evie's cute and all, but two grown men comparing pictures is just wrong."

Juice's brow furrowed together in concern. "Should I be worried?"

Piper realized how bad that sounded and shook his head. "Nah, its never creepy. Its like two proud as hell Uncles competing over which one she loves more. I keep hopin' Ang will send Tig one of Eves with a doll and scare the shit out of him."

"Nah, she'd never do that to Tig. Not after everythin' he did for us," he said, looking down at his hands. Clearly, his mind had gone elsewhere, probably going back to their past and everything that had happened when they'd lived in Charming.

Piper could see the way his history with SAMCRO wore on him. Knew he was prone to panic attacks and nightmares because Kenny had asked him once if he could get him weed to help with them. Hearing the way it all affected him firsthand made Piper question finishing his prospecting year even more. He cleared his throat, wiping his hands on his pants nervously. "Look, I know you're all twisted up with everythin' that happened to Ang, but…can I ask you somethin'?"

He raised an eyebrow but nodded slowly. " 'course."

"I um…this prospecting thing…is it worth it?" he asked, scratching nervously at his eyebrow. "I know they technically killed you and shit, but before that…before it got bad, was it worth it?"

Juice considered his question, taking a long toke as he did so. His dark eyes looked over the cemetery in front of him as he let out the smoke. "Was for me," he admitted with a small smile. "When I first met Jax, I was…on the run from the mob. My Ma's a drug addict, Dad's a fuckin' ghost, and my sister had a life of her own that I didn't want to fuck up. I had no family. My friends had turned their backs on me. I was alone. My sister gave me her piece of shit slant bike, and I rode it until it broke down. Right in fuckin' Charming."

"Let me guess, the guys from TM picked you up?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Said they'd help me fix my bike if I helped out around the shop. One day, I caught Gemma cursin' at the old computer in the office and I fixed it. She told Jax, then he asked what else I could do, so I hacked into some places, got him some intel, erased some records, stopped Clay from goin' to jail, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Juice took a long toke before continuing, "I loved being a Son. I really did. Loved wearing that cut, being surrounded by my brothers. Everything about it. I loved riding around on my bike, feelin' invincible, keepin' the bad shit out of Charming, feelin' like the good guys. Shit, I didn't even mind doing the time with all of 'em. It wasn't until after that long stretch when shit went sideways. Lot of it was my own fault. If I had played it differently, I'd probably still be in there with you."

Piper was surprised by his answer. He hadn't expected him to be so honest with him when he'd asked him about it. In fact, he thought Juice would try to dissuade him from it. Tell him it wasn't worth it and how shitty the club was like Ellie had tried to, not for him to support it or say he would still be in it if he hadn't messed up. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," he answered on a chuckle. "I had some of the best times while I was with them. I mean, I wouldn't a met the love my life if it wasn't for them, wouldn't a been able to travel across the country. Shit, I've been to almost every state visitin' different charters. Different countries too. I wouldn't trade any of that."

"There's a 'but' in there somewhere, huh?"

"Yeah. A big one. Being a member of the club was great. I loved my brothers and having the big family and being a part of something that felt good, _but_ the second I fucked up, they _all_ turned their backs on me," he told him on a frown. "I didn't do anythin' wrong and when I went to Chibs, my own damn sponsor, for help, he told me to put a gun in my mouth and pull the damn trigger. Then they killed me. For a reason they can't even put into words. Just keep that in mind when you're workin' for that top rocker. Everythin's all fun and games until you fuck up. That's when they turn on you. The club and its safety will _always_ come first. The minute you become a threat to it, they'll get rid of you. Doesn't matter how close you are, or that they're your brothers, they'll kill you without asking any questions."

Piper tapped the ash off the end of the joint pensively before running a hand through his hair. "Kinda not the answer I expected from you, to be honest. Thought you'd shoot me down real fast. Tell me not to go through with it."

"I know where you're comin' from, Pipes. I _was_ you not so long ago. If I hadn't found the Sons back then, I'da probably stumbled into somethin' worse. Dealin' drugs, maybe even doin' 'em. In that way, the Sons kinda saved me."

"You never thought about like…going to college?"

Juice shrugged a shoulder. " 's not for me. School and I never got along. I got bored too easily and didn't pay attention. Ang says its because I was too smart for it, but I was just too busy hustling for my Ma's boyfriend. Plus, I didn't want my name on any university servers. Didn't want to be found. I do have my high school diploma, though. So there's that."

"Actual school or test?"

"School, believe it or not. My sister used to say her proudest moment was watchin' me walk across that stage to get my diploma. Honestly the only reason I rode it out was because I was dealin' dope and steroids to the football team and bein' a student made it a hell of a lot easier."

Piper smirked, raking his hand through his hair again. "Makes sense."

"You graduate?"

He snorted in response, shaking his head. He hadn't even tried. He took the GED the second he was allowed to so he could get out of school and start working at TM full time to earn money for his motorcycle. "Nah, I didn't do the big graduation like Ken. I took the test and passed. No big ceremony or party or trip for me," he said on an awkward laugh. "Best present I got was the cut."

Juice looked him over for a moment. "Suits you," he stated on a nod. Piper raised his eyebrows at him in surprise, and he shrugged. "I can't stand some of the Sons now 'cause of everythin' that happened, but I still love Hap and Tig and Quinn. Those guys saved my life more than a few times. I'd never turn my back on them just 'cause they're Sons. Same way I don't have a problem with you. SAMCRO ain't all bad 'n' I don't want my past to stop you from doin' somethin' that's right for you. It's ultimately your choice, Pipes. I just don't want you goin' into it blindly."

"Thanks," he said with a small smile. "I honestly didn't think it'd go this way."

He chuckled. "I didn't either. Guess it's the weed."

Piper laughed, stubbing out the very end of the joint. "Told you it was good shit," he said, nodding his head. While he was pleased by Juice's answer, there was one thing bothering him. It was easy to tell him to keep prospecting when he wasn't his own kid. "What if Ken wanted to be a Son? I know he's not really your son, but you adopted him and shit. Would you tell him the same thing?"

Juice sighed, scratching at the black square tattooed on his arm, the one covering his Reaper. "Ken _is_ my son, but he's also Opie's son and Piney's grandson. SAMCRO is in his blood. If he wanted to prospect, I'd have no choice but to let him. I'd be hurt by it 'cause he'd be willingly joining a club that almost tore our family apart, but…if it was something he really wanted 'cause of the Winston ties to it, I wouldn't stop him," he explained on a frown. "Think Ang would have a bigger problem with it, to be honest."

"And if it were your own blood?"

He sucked in a hard breath, visibly pained by the question. "Shit, I don't know, Pipes. I'd make sure he knew everything that went down with me and them, and if he still wanted a part in it…it'd kill me to see it but…"

"You wouldn't stop him?"

"I would hope the history would be enough to stop him," he admitted, hanging his head. "But once he's old enough, I can't do much about it, y'know?"

Piper's blue eyes held a sense of admiration as he looked him over. "Wow. That's…that's big of you."

"Easy to say when it's a hypothetical, y'know? That and there's no way in hell Angela would ever let that happen. We both agreed to keep our kids away from the club at all cost. 's why I made her hide all our old pictures, why we don't let anyone wear cuts near Eves. We don't want her to ever know about SAMCRO."

"That's fair, I guess," he murmured, running a hand through his hair. "Thanks for being honest with me. Didn't expect that."

Juice smirked. "You're a good kid, Piper. Would hate to steer you wrong," he said, slapping him on the back before getting to his feet with a grunt. He glanced out over the cemetery again just as the sound of Harley's filled the air. "Shit."

Piper scrambled to his feet just as the Sons rode in, their big black van behind them. Hope spread through him, if they had the van, they surely had to have saved his Mom and Chloe. "Mom," he breathed, a small smile on his face as he ran down the steps.

Chibs swung his leg off the bike, a grim look on his face. "Need to talk to you, son," he said, setting a hand on Piper's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "Got some bad news."

Piper felt sick to his stomach as he listened to Chibs recount what had happened. His Mom had been shot point blank in the head in front of them. Tears filled his eyes as he took it all in; his Mom was gone. He'd never see her again. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his tears at bay. "No. No, this wasn't supposed to happen," he said, anger quickly replacing his sadness. He pushed Chibs away, shaking his head. He needed to get away, needed some space or he was going to hurt someone. Moving past all of the rest of SAMCRO, he ran to his bike, starting it up and letting the sound of it drown out his thoughts. He sped out of there, needing to get away. For the first time ever, he understood why Kenny hated SAMCRO and regretted ever asking to be a part of it. He'd counted on them to help him in his time of need, counted on them to save his Mom, and they'd let him down. He hated them for not being able to help her, hated that they were the reason she was taken in the first place. The smell of the leather coming from his cut made his stomach churn; he hated the idea of being a part of the reason his Mom was dead. He had to get it off and fast. Driving to the front of the clubhouse, he ripped it off, throwing it on the ground and running over it with his bike as he headed out. He needed to get out of Charming, fast.

* * *

Kenny sat on the floor of his Mom's old office, Evie sitting across from him slowly setting up her tea set in front of them. She was quieter than usual, more focused on her task than on jabbering at him. It worried him a little; it was unlike her to be so quiet. She was usually a ball of energy. "You okay, Monk?" he asked, tugging on one of her pigtails affectionately. "Crazy couple a days you had, huh?"

She nodded, a serious look on her cute little face. "Mama okay?"

"Mom's fine," he assured her, knowing it was troubling her. "She just needs some rest."

"She tired? From fighting bad guys like Wonder Woman?"

He nodded, chuckling a little. Juice had told him Evie had seen the guys coming after Angela, had been the one to alert them something was happening. That could be traumatic for a three year old, but it seemed she'd found a way to reconcile it; she'd turned her Mom into a superhero in her mind, and he wasn't about to tell her she was wrong. "Yeah, kiddo. Super tired."

Evie seemed to be pleased with that as she poured some pretend tea into his tea cup and then hers. "She sleep now? Play later?"

"Definitely. Once she's done resting, she'll be all about playing with you, Monk."

"Yay! Now, drink tea, Kendo!"

Kenny smirked, grabbing the little tea cup and taking a pretend sip. Evie giggled, sticking out her pinky as she slurped loudly. "Good tea, Eves. What kind is it?" he asked, setting the tiny cup down.

"Princess tea!" she answered with a big smile. She served an extra cup and ran over to Quinn who was sitting in her Mom's old office chair. "Here Uncle Q! You try too!"

The sight of Quinn holding the tiny, sparkly pink tea cup made him look even bigger than usual. Kenny wondered if he would pass on it to uphold his tough guy image in front of Lino, but to his surprise, he thanked her for it and took a long sip. "Good tea, Princess," he told her, rubbing one of his large hands over her hair. "Best I've ever had."

She clapped happily before getting the last tea cup and bringing it over to Lino. "You too, _Tio_ Lio."

Like Quinn, Lino took it with enthusiasm, slurping loudly to make the little girl laugh. " _Gracias, tesoro_. This is delicious."

Kenny contemplated taking a picture of the two badass bikers sipping on imaginary tea but decided against it knowing as soon as he did, they'd take on that tough guy façade again and Evie was having too much fun to ruin it with that kind of shit. She kept running between the three of them to refill their cups, humming to herself as she went. "Crazy girl," he murmured under his breath, watching as she moved around the room.

"Daddy!" she cried out running to Juice as he stepped into the office.

He caught her easily, pressing a kiss to her cheek as he balanced her on his hip. "Hey Monk," he murmured, giving her a small, sad smile. "How's it goin'?"

"We have a tea party," she told him excitedly.

Juice exchanged a quick glance with Quinn. If he saw the bright pink teacup in his hand, he didn't comment on it; he seemed a little preoccupied with something else. "Glad you're havin' fun," he said, setting her back down on her feet. "Ken, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Kenny got up warily, wondering what the hell had happened to make Juice look so upset. Evie seemed to sense something was wrong and wouldn't leave her Dad's side. "Daddy play tea?" she asked, tugging at his jeans.

"Not right now, Monk. Need to talk to your brother for a sec. How about you give Lino a refill?"

"Yeah! I drank it all up real fast. Was so good! Serve me another _tesito_ ," Lino coaxed, sitting down in Kenny's place before grabbing the tea pot. "C'mon, _princesa_ , I don't know how to use this thing." ( _Little tea...princess)_

Evie hesitated before going over to help Lino who was feigning being perplexed by the teapot. "Okay, _Tio_ ," she said, taking it from him. "I show you."

Juice watched her for a minute before taking a step out into the foyer. Kenny followed after him, his stomach already twisting with nerves. "What happened? Is Mom okay? Are the twins?" he asked, playing with the beaded bracelet on his wrist that Jasmine had given him. Juice was silent in response, heading towards the front door, farther away from the office. "Dad, you're scarin' me."

Juice swallowed hard before clearing her throat. "Your Ma's fine and the babies are too, probably. Graci's doin' an ultrasound right now, I think," he said, running his hand through his hair. "I just…something bad happened at the Son's meet up, and I want you to hear it from me. Not them," he explained before letting out a long breath. "Lyla…she…Lin's crew killed her. Right in front of them."

Kenny blinked at him, trying to understand what he just said. "Lyla's dead?"

He nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ken."

It wasn't sadness he felt, though. It was pure anger. "Fuck!" he shouted angrily, kicking at the leg of one of the armchairs.

"Hey, hey, take it easy!" Juice exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder and turning him to face him. "Breathe."

"I can't! Don't you see? It's happening again!" he shouted, a tear sliding down his face as he struggled to breathe. "They went after Mom and she's hurt and Chloe's gone, and now Lyla's _dead_! When does it end, Dad? Who else is going to die in this fucking place?"

"I know. I know it fucking sucks and you're angry and you got every right to be. Let it out now, Ken. I got you."

"I can't…this is so fucked up," he said, his voice cracking. Juice pulled him into a tight hug that he returned, hating the tears he couldn't stop from falling. "Didn't even get to say goodbye."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Ken. I don't know what else to say here. I'm not good at this shit like your Mom, I just…I wanted you to hear it from me, not from some asshole in a cut. I'm sorry. So fucking sorry."

Kenny pulled away, wiping at his eyes as he let out a few long breaths. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault," he answered, his voice rough. "It's the club. It fuckin' kills _everything_."

As if on cue, the front door opened and Chibs strode in. Kenny turned around quickly, glaring daggers at him. He wasn't wanted there. Not one bit. "The fuck are you doing here? After all the shit you put my family though, you do _not_ get to be here."

"Easy there, Ken," Chibs said, holding his hands up in a show of peace. "I'm not the enemy here."

That wasn't true though; he _was_ the enemy. Had been for years. Every bad thing that had happened to his family had stemmed from SAMCRO and since Chibs was the president of the stupid club, Kenny put the blame on him. "Fuck you," he spat back. "You and your fucking club! You ruin _every_ thing, you stupid piece of shit!"

Chibs took a step closer to him. "You better watch your mouth, lad," he warned, poking him in the chest with his finger.

Kenny balled his hand into a fist, ready to launch it into Chibs' face when Juice pushed him back, getting in between them, shoving Chibs back forcefully. "Don't touch my son," he seethed, standing in front of Kenny.

"He is not your son, ye rat!" the Scot shouted back. "He's a goddamn Winston, and ye best not forget it!"

That was the final straw. Kenny pushed Juice aside, his fist flying towards Chibs and landing a hit square on his jaw, knocking him down. "Fuck you!" he repeated, shaking out his hand as it throbbed. "Juice has given me _everything_ I could ever want. Don't you _dare_ say he's not my Dad! Not when you and your stupid club were the ones who took away Opie in the first place!"

"What the hell is going on around here?" Ellie asked, Bones close behind her. She looked at Kenny with wide eyes. "Did you just _hit_ him?"

Kenny nodded, ready and eager to do it again if he had the chance. His anger consumed him, making him see red. He moved towards Chibs again, but Juice intercepted. "Stop! Go get some air, Ken."

"No," he replied, his eyes never leaving Chibs. "Not until this asshole leaves."

"Are we on this shit again? C'mon, Ken. Let it go," Ellie said, rolling her eyes.

"Let it go?" Kenny repeated in shock. "Lyla's dead, and you want me to just let it go?"

Ellie froze, her whole body tensing as her eyes went even wider than before. "What?" she asked, her voice tighter and higher than usual. "Lyla's dead?"

Seeing the tears in Ellie's eyes made all of Kenny's anger fade away. He turned away from Chibs, nodding quickly in answer to his sister's question. "I'm sorry, Ell."

"No," she breathed, shaking her head as tears began to fall down her face.

Kenny took a step towards her to comfort her, but she turned to Bones instead. Bones wrapped her in a hug, holding her tightly. His hazel eyes were huge with shock and a little fear. "Holy shit," he said, his hand rubbing up and down Ellie's back as she sobbed into his chest. "What happened?"

"The club got her killed," he answered, glaring at Chibs. "Just like Mom and Pops and Grandpa."

"We were trying to _save_ her," Chibs shot back, wiping at his split lip.

"Yeah, well, you didn't," Kenny sneered, clenching his fists again.

Juice put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed as he nodded to Chibs. "You said your piece. Think its time for you to go before anyone else gets hurt."

Chibs looked like he was going to argue then he sighed. "I'll get the boys to put her in the work room then," he said, grimacing when it only made Ellie cry harder. He stepped closer to her, setting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ellie. We did the best we could, love."

"Don't fuckin' touch her!" Kenny shouted, ready to hit him again. Juice's grip on his shoulder tightened, keeping him from moving.

"Kendo?" a little voice said from behind them. They all turned to find Evie standing there, her dark eyes wide. "Why so loud? Why the bad man here?"

Kenny didn't miss the small, proud smirk tugging up the corners of Juice's mouth or the grimace on Chibs' face at Evie's question. He shrugged off Juice's hand from his shoulder, going over to pick up his little sister and set her on his hip. "Hey Monk," he said, kissing her cheek. He felt himself relax as she clung to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "What's goin' on, sis?"

"They on the phone. Wanted someone to play with me," she explained, her dark eyes on Chibs, a concerned look on her face. She reached out her hand to Juice. "Daddy, play?"

Juice tore his eyes off of Chibs and gave his daughter a small smile. "Yeah, baby girl," he said, stepping in closer and taking her from her brother. "Let's go play. Think I could use a little tea."

Kenny watched them go, letting out a long breath. Though she didn't mean to, Evie had successfully broken the tension in the room and stopped him from sending his fist into Chibs' face again. He looked over at Bones and Ellie, watching as his best friend held his sister tightly, his hands rubbing over her back. He'd never been more thankful for their relationship than he was at that moment; no way could he comfort Ellie the way Bones could.

Bones cleared his throat, pushing his glasses up his nose quickly. "Think you should go," he told Chibs with a grim look. "You've done enough damage for tonight. I'll take care of arrangements."

Chibs looked irked for a moment before he hung his head. "Yeah. I'll go check on Piper. Make sure he's all right."

The mention of Piper only served to make Ellie cry harder. Chibs hesitated, clearly wanting to comfort her, but he stopped himself and headed out the door like the coward he was. Kenny watched him go with a scowl, hid hands still curled into fists. It wasn't until after he heard the Harley start up that he unfurled his hands, wincing a bit as he did so. He looked around, feeling very alone all of a sudden when he realized Bones and Ellie had each other, and he had no one. For a moment, he regretted letting Jasmine go back to Texas; he needed her now, needed her to comfort him. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and pulled it out, surprised to see Jasmine's picture on the call ID. How she'd known he needed her, he'd never know, but he was thankful as hell to see her name on that screen.

* * *

Bones studied Ellie from across the room. Her eyes were focused on the floor, glazed over as if they weren't really seeing anything. He didn't know what to do with her. Sure, he was used to comforting grieving people, but those had always been strangers. Strangers who usually had someone else to turn to when they left the funeral home. This was his girlfriend, and _he_ was the one she had to turn to. He sat down on the antique couch next to her, leaning forward to tuck a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear. She didn't move, didn't say a thing, just sat numbly and stared at the floor. He didn't know what to say or do to help her. _She_ was usually the strong one in their relationship. Without a word, he slid in closer to her, wrapping his arm around her in an awkward sideways hug and kissing her temple.

It took her a moment to react this time, but she moved her hand up to grip his arm, squeezing it tightly as a soft gasp escaped her hold. He squeezed her tightly, kissing her again. "I don't know what to do, El. How can I help you?"

She sniffled a little finally lifting her head. The sad look in her eyes broke his heart as she met his gaze. "Just stay," she told him softly. He nodded slowly, holding her as close as he could. She leaned into him, her eyes closing for a moment as she breathed in deeply. "I want to see her."

Bones grimaced a bit. "El, that might not be a great idea. I don't know what state she's in."

"I don't care," she said, moving away from him and turning so they could face each other. "This doesn't feel _real_. I can't wrap my head around her being gone. I need to see her. Need to know they're not fucking with me. She was the last person I had left, Leo. My last _parent_."

"I know, which is why you shouldn't see her this way. You should keep the memories you have of her close and that image of her in your mind. You don't want to see her like this," he assured her. He wasn't sure how Lyla looked, to be honest. The Sons had carried her in wrapped in a tarp, and he had made sure Ellie hadn't seen.

She shook her head stubbornly. "Don't give me that funeral home shit. I can _do_ this. I _need_ to do this," she insisted, reaching out to grab his hands. " _Please_."

"Let her," Kenny's voice came from the hallway as he came in from the back. "I'ma clean her up a bit first and then you can say your goodbyes."

Bones looked at him like he was crazy. "What? You can't…that's your stepmom! No way should you be preppin' her! Ang won't let you!"

"She doesn't have to know, and if you don't want to stress her out, you won't tell her."

Ellie scowled at that. "Don't be stupid, Ken."

"It's not stupid. You want to see her, I want to prep her. What's wrong with that?"

"It's not happening," Bones stated, getting to his feet and going to stand between him and the prep room door. He puffed out his chest a little, feeling a little bolder by having Ellie's support. "This is _my_ funeral home, and _I'm_ going to handle this case. You can come in and see her when I'm done, but I am _not_ letting you do it yourself."

Kenny took a step closer to him, getting into his face. "You gonna stop me, Boner?"

Bones looked up at him. He was taller, stronger, but he wasn't going to back down so easily; he was right in this case. "I sure as hell am gonna try," he said, though his voice cracked at the end. He wasn't a tough guy like Kenny and didn't have a drop of outlaw in his blood, but Kenny was his best friend, and he wanted to protect him as best as he could. "I'm not doin' it to be an asshole or 'cause I think you can't, Ken. I'm doin' it 'cause I care about you and your sanity. It's not healthy to see someone you love like that! Findin' veins and using the trocar and stuff! That's intense! Even Ang has problems preppin' people she knows and loves and she's been doing it for _years_! She definitely wouldn't want _you_ to do it!"

"But…"

"Its not happening, Ken!" Bones shouted, cutting him off. "I love you like a brother and I don't want you to see her like that! Shit, I barely knew her, and _I_ don't want to do it! So please, let me do this, or I _will_ tattle on you to Angela because I _know_ she'll get you to do the right thing! And you can call me a rat if you want or whatever biker jargon you have, that's fine! I don't give a shit! I'm doin' it for you, so call me fucking Splinter if you want!"

The room was silent, their argument hanging heavy in the air as they eyed each other up and down. Ellie's giggle cut the tension in the room. " _Splinter_?"

Kenny chuckle soon joined hers as he shook his head. "The rat from the Ninja Turtles," he explained with a smirk. "God, you're a _nerd._ "

Ellie sighed, the smallest smile on her face. Kenny knew that smile, it was similar to the one Angela got when she looked at Juice; his big sister was head over heels in love with his best friend. He was thankful they were together, that they loved each other especially since Bones had gotten her to feel better after hearing such horrific news. It was nice to know his sister was being taken care of when he wasn't around. She pecked Bones' cheek. "Thank you," she told him softly. "Love you."

Bones smiled just a little and nodded. "Love you too, El. Just want what's best for everyone involved."

Kenny rolled his eyes at them. "Think I'm gonna barf," he muttered. "I'm gonna go check on my other sister. She's got to be confused as hell."

Ellie watched him go with a little frown. Once he was out of the room, she sighed. "Still weird that he has another sister," she said on a sigh. "And he's not okay. The way he blew up at you, got in your face? That's not Kenny."

"Yeah," Bones agreed, frowning a little. "But letting him prep Lyla wouldn't help him any."

"I know. I don't know what else to do. Wish Jazzy had stayed, think he could use her now."

He shook his head in response. Having Jazzy here would help him a little, but in the end, he'd wind up stressed out beyond belief and paranoid something was going to happen to her. It wouldn't be good for either of them. "He'll be okay. Just needs to talk to Ang. She'll set him straight."

Ellie let out a long sigh, raking her hand through her hair. "I hope so," she said before grabbing Bones' hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Kinda badass of you to stand up to him like that."

Bones puffed out his chest a little, a proud smile on his face. "Yeah, well, I can be badass too when I want to be."

"A regular Captain Kirk," she replied, sliding her arms around his waist.

"Was that…you just referenced _Star Trek_! That is…wow," he said in shock. "Are you watching _Star Trek_?"

Ellie shrugged a shoulder simply. "You love it. Figured I should get familiar with it too."

"God, I love you," he murmured, kissing her softly.

She smiled at him, a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Love you, too, Leo. Thanks for takin' care of me, of my family."

"Anytime. I'm here for you, El. I might not be a big, bad biker-man, but I'll take care of you the best I can every time. Promise you that."

"I don't need a big, bad biker-man. I'm good with my badass Trekker," she said, kissing him again. "Now go work your magic before my brother tries to get in on it."

He frowned slightly. "Don't want to leave you alone."

She pushed him towards the work room. "Go. I'm fine. I'm gonna go check on Ken, spend some time with him and Eves. Maybe she'll be able to make me feel a little better."

"Good plan. Think Monk could make anyone feel better with that smile a hers," Bones said on a smile. "Just knock if you need me. I'm gonna lock the door."

Ellie kissed his cheek again, squeezing his hand. "Don't worry so much, Leo. This isn't new to me. I got this."

* * *

Angela shifted nervously on the bed as she eyed the portable ultrasound machine her mother had stolen from the hospital. Her stomach was churning anxiously as she rubbed a hand over her lower belly hoping and praying the ultrasound would give her good news. "We can't start without Juice," she said, hating the way her voice shook just a little.

Graciela eyed her suspiciously for a moment before shaking her head. "We have to start soon, _Angelita_. If the babies are in distress, you could get very hurt. I already took too long in stitching you up first _pero_ I didn't want you to be infected so I had to work fast. Now, we're already behind. We do this now."

She shook her head stubbornly. "We have to wait for Juice."

"Why? He missed all of Eva's didn't he? I'll do it again for him later," she said, shaking the tube of blue goo.

Angela scowled at her mother, hating how right she was. Her pregnancy with Evie was thankfully relatively easy for her health-wise; it was all the shit around her that was in turmoil back then. They fought the most in that time period, said the cruelest things to each other. He'd missed almost everything with Evie, including her birth. It was the absolute lowest time in their whole relationship, and she hated how it tainted what should've been such a happy time. She sighed softly. "This time was supposed to be different, though. The only reason he came to Charming was to be here for the baby stuff."

"I know, _mija_ , _pero_ you saw him. He needs to breathe. Better we know everything's okay first that way you being nervous doesn't make him more nervous."

She let out a long breath and nodded. "Guess you're right."

"Of course, I'm right! I'm always right!" Graciela exclaimed, flipping on the machine. " _A ver_. Let's see my grandbabies."

Angela lay back on the bed, letting out a long breath as she stared up at the ceiling. Her mother pushed back her shirt, applying some of the blue goo onto her stomach. She played with her rings nervously, holding her breath as her Mom put the probe to her belly. It didn't take very long for the familiar sound of a heartbeat came loud and clear over the machine. She let out a sigh of relief. "There's one," she said on a smile.

Graciela nodded, moving it around until she heard the second one. "There's two. Just as I expected," she said with a big smile. She sat back on the bed a little and sighed. "Your father would be so proud of you, _mija_. He would've loved the little family you have. Eva and Kenny and _Juancito_ , he would've loved them all."

She felt a lump form in her throat at the idea of her father getting to know the little family she made for herself. Hap had said her father would like Juice, but it felt different coming from her mother. "Wish he could've met them. Think he woulda flipped when he found out Juice was a Son."

"He wouldn't be happy with that _pero_ once he saw how happy Juan makes you, he wouldn't have cared. They would've gotten along. Your _Papi_ would've loved him, I promise you. They would've been the best of friends."

Angela laughed lightly, reaching up a hand to wipe at her cheeks. "Surprised you're even talking about him."

Graciela looked down at her hands, playing with the wedding ring on her finger. Her husband had been dead for over thirty years, and she'd never once taken it off except while she was at work. Even then, she wore it on a chain around her neck. As a teenager, Angela had thought it was ridiculous for her to wear it after her dad had been dead for so long, but after losing Juice, she understood. If Juice had really been dead, she'd would've kept her rings on too. No matter what. Graciela smiled softly. "Nero has helped me heal. Letting him in made me heal, made it easier to think of your _Papi_ without feeling so lonely," she said, gently wiping off Angela's stomach with a towel.

"I'm glad," she replied, sitting up a bit just as Nero walked in. "Speak of the devil."

Nero nodded his greeting, a grim look on his face. "I got uh…got some bad news, _Angelita_."

Dread filled Angela's stomach at his words. "What happened? Is it Juice? Where did he go? Is it Dia? Chloe?"

"No, Mama. Juice's okay. Dia and Chloe too. It uh…its Lyla. She didn't make it," he told her, hanging his head a bit.

Angela froze, not quite believing what she was hearing. It was Graciela who reacted with a gasp and a whispered, " _What_?"

"Lyla. They killed her at the meet," Nero repeated, wringing his hands together. He looked absolutely devastated. He'd been close with Lyla once upon a time; she'd work closely with him at Diosa. Angela knew he had to be just as upset about it as she was. A tear slid down his face, and he quickly covered it, letting out a breath and shaking his head. "Shit. Sorry."

"No, no, no. Come here, _mi amor_ ," Graciela said, crossing the room to him and wrapping her arms around him.

Angela walked past them numbly, feeling sick to her stomach. She couldn't process it, but she knew one person who would need her. _Kenny._ The moment she stepped into the living room, the door that led to the funeral home opened and Kenny walked in. His face was blotchy, eyes red and desperate, searching for something. They landed on her, and his shoulders relaxed. "Mom," he said, his voice breaking as he spoke.

He practically ran to her, and she was ready for him, her arms open. She enveloped him into a hug, holding him close as he buried his face into her neck. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, smoothing her hand over his hair. He sobbed into her shoulder, holding her tightly as if he were afraid she'd disappear if he let go. She understood why; Lyla was the second mother he'd lost. Though he'd asked Angela to adopt him, it hadn't meant he'd loved Lyla any less. Losing her had to have hit him hard. She turned to kiss his temple, squeezing him tighter. "It's okay. I got you, Ken. I got you. Love you so much."

She looked over his shoulder as Juice walked in with Evie in his arms, making eye contact with her husband as she tried to console her son. Juice frowned, kissing Evie's cheek. "I think Kendo needs a little extra love, Monk. What do you think?"

Evie's brow furrowed in worry as she reached her arms out to her brother. "Nee-nee," she whined, moving her arms around Kenny's neck the moment Juice was close enough. "Don't cry, Nee-Nee. I love you."

Angela caught Kenny's small smile as Juice joined in on the big family hug. She moved her arms from around Kenny to Juice's waist pulling her family in a little closer. She knew losing Lyla would make him feel isolated and alone just as losing Donna and Opie had and hoped this big group hug would show him just how loved he was, how he would always have his little family there to love and take care of him. She sighed softly. "We got you, Ken. Everything's going to be okay."

* * *

 **I know its been forever, and I'm sorry for that. Been a little drama in my personal life, but I think that's over and done with. Hoping to be able to write more in 2018!**

 **Please let me know what you think! Your reviews are so encouraging and make me so happy! :)**

 **Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2018 brings you all the best!**

 **~Love Ink**


	17. Paciencia y Fe

**Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read and review! You all make me so happy! I'm sorry if I haven't gotten back to you just yet, I wanted to make sure this got posted as soon as it was done!**

 **As always, please let me know what you think! I look forwarded to reading to your reviews and take any and all constructive criticism/suggestions/ideas into consideration as I continue writing! :)**

 **Disclaimer : I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, Bones, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 17: Paciencia y Fe_

 _By Love Ink_

Chloe couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Lyla's lifeless body on the ground, the blood pooling under her head. It could've been her. It _should've_ been her. She looked over at Dia who wasn't sleeping either; she was plucking at a hole in her jeans. They were back in whatever shitty garage they'd started in, chained to the wall. "What happened to Lupe?" Chloe finally asked, just to start conversation.

"Dead," Dia answered on a shrug as if it were nothing.

Her breath caught in her throat, tears pricking at her eyes. "Shit," she gasped out. With Lyla and Lupe gone, it meant she was next. She raked her hands through her hair, letting out a shaky breath before a sob escape her hold. She'd tried her best to be strong, but enough was enough. Her cheek was throbbing and her friend was dead and she just wanted to go home.

She heard Dia's chain shift before she felt a soft touch brushing her hair away from her face. "I'm so sorry, _mija_ ," Dia murmured, her voice warm and soothing. "But you have to think about something else. _Anything_ else. _Mira,_ how about you tell me about your man? He has a lot of tattoos, no? How about you tell me your favorite? _Dale,_ I know you have one. Close your eyes and picture them." ( _Look...Go...)_

"I can't. I close them, and I see her and the blood," Chloe said, shaking her head.

"Close them," Dia insisted, grabbing her hand in hers. "Tell me about him. What's his name? He's _Angelita's_ cousin, no? Did you know I've never met him? I've known her since she was fourteen, and I never met him."

Chloe nodded slowly, closing her eyes and trying to picture Happy, picture the way his skin looked illuminated by the sun peeking in through her bedroom window. A beautiful mixture of the caramel color of his skintone and the colors of his tattoos. So many colors. Blacks and reds, greens and blues. The snake on the center of his chest so bold and beautiful. She could spend hours tracing the curving lines of the animal's body, the feel of Happy's skin impossibly soft, a sharp contrast to the hard man it belonged to. "Happy," she breathed, feeling a little calmer.

"He's a strong man, no? Angela always spoke very highly of him."

"Yeah. They're really close," she agreed on a nod.

Diana smiled, squeezing Chloe's hand. "I know. My son, Esai, he _hated_ Happy. Was scared to death of him."

Chloe sniffled a bit, wiping at her eyes. "He scares everyone."

"But not you."

She shook her head slowly. "I didn't know much about him when I met him. He was…he came to the hospital after Ang got shot, and he looked more like an over protective big brother than a big, bad scary biker. I don't even know how or when it happened. He just showed up on my doorstep and never left."

"Like a dog," Dia mused on a laugh.

Chloe laughed too. "Kind of." She tilted her head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling for a moment. "Loyal like one too."

"That means he's a good man. Like mine. Marcus has done very many bad things, and he's not perfect _pero_ I love him. He has always treated me well," she explained softly. "We met in high school and _oh_ , how he chased me. I didn't want to give in _pero_ he was relentless, and he caught me. We've been together since I was sixteen. Something my son tried to get with _Angelita_ , but he couldn't he wasn't right for her."

She smiled a little at the mention of her best friend. "Pretty sure Ang and Juice are soulmates. Never seen two people who are so meant for each other as they are."

"I know. I didn't want to accept it at first. I wanted _Angelita_ to find another Mayan and come back to us. Selfish, I know, _pero_ I wanted that," she explained on a sad smile. "But then I saw how happy she was. Happier than ever before, and then I met Juan _y es tan bueno_. Such a good man. The kind of man she should be with." ( _He's so good.)_

"They balance each other out," Chloe said softly. "Just hope she's okay."

Dia waved away her concern. "She's okay. She's strong that girl. And she's not here, so that's a good sign." She reached out her hand to pat Chloe's. "And you? How do you fit in with Happy?"

She snorted a bit, shrugging a shoulder. "I honestly don't know," she said on a sad laugh. "I just keep waiting for him to dump me. Move on to some newer, younger, hotter girl."

"You're smart. A challenge. That's why he likes you so much," she stated, patting her thigh. "And he's not young anymore, _mija_. He's too old for those little _putas_ , too smart. They can't keep up with him, entertain him, not like you. He's going to keep you for as long as he can."

"I hope so," she murmured, wiping at her eyes. "If I ever see him again."

"You will. You will see him again, and I will see my Marcus again. You'll see. They'll come for us," she assured her confidently. " _Paciencia y fe._ Patience and faith. That's all we need right now, _mija_. Its all going to be okay."

* * *

Happy was covered in blood. It'd been awhile since he got to use his interrogating skills on someone, and he'd gone all out on the motherfucker who had been knocked out in his attempt to kidnap Angela. Squeezed him for every bit of information he could before cutting out his tongue and dismembering him piece by piece. His arms were sore, hands sticky with blood, but he was pleased with the information he'd managed to get. Locations, names, numbers, everything.

"You done?" Juice asked from his seat at the rusted table in the corner. His laptop was open, illuminating his face in a blue light. He'd sat quietly through the whole thing, his fingers flying over his keyboard as he verified every bit of information the man had given them. Happy was surprised Juice could stomach the torture he'd just witnessed, but he'd been good. Hadn't said a word or thrown up like Happy thought he'd might.

He nodded in response. "Yeah. You get all that?"

"Yeah. It all checks out. The warehouse is registered to the Lin family under Lin's Mom's maiden name but spelled differently so it doesn't come up on searches," he explained, still clicking around. At Happy's eyebrow raise, he shrugged. "Looked up the family tree before this shit. Wanted to make sure the names were familiar."

Happy would never admit how impressed he was with Juice's computer skills. "Good," he replied. Juice let out a long breath, rubbing at his eyes for a moment before muttering something under his breath and shaking his head. Happy narrowed his eyes at him. "You all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good, I'm good," he insisted, cracking his knuckles, his thumb rubbing over his wedding ring.

"The blood gettin' to ya?"

Juice scowled at him and shook his head. "No, no. Fucker deserved all that shit for what he tried to do to my wife. We coulda lost the twins. I coulda lost _her_. Feels good to see him get what's comin' to him."

Now Happy understood; Juice was going through what had happened earlier, dwelling on it. "Didn't happen. Kid held her own 'n' you protected her. You should be proud."

He nodded, swallowing hard. "I _am_ proud."

"Then stop thinkin' about the other shit. The kid is fine, the brat is fine, and those monsters inside a her are fine too. Stop stressin' and find my girl," he said nodding to the computer.

Juice smirked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Your girl, huh?"

"Shut up."

"No, no, its cool. The Tacoma Killer and the Killer Nurse. Its cute," he commented on a shrug. Happy reached out a blood-soaked hand out to smack him in the face only to have him duck. "Don't touch me! Stop! That's fuckin' gross!"

Happy playfully lunged towards him, chuckling when Juice put his hands up to shield himself. "Best shut up then, idiot," he said, walking back towards his tools and grabbing the bucket of bleach and water. "Think all that hair is cloudin' your judgement."

Juice rolled his eyes, closing the laptop slowly. "Your cousin doesn't mind it," he muttered to himself.

He rounded on him threateningly. "What was that?"

"Nothin'," he said, trying to hide a smirk. "Think you're goin' deaf, old man."

Happy picked up an icepick from his tools looking it over and inspecting the blood that ran down its length before nodding to Juice. "You're about to _be_ deaf if you don't shut the fuck up."

Juice didn't look at all frightened by the threat; he was used to them. "Go for it. My head's been too loud anyway."

The comment was a slight show of hand for Juice, a hint as to how his mental state was. Also a big red flag that he wasn't doing too well. Happy knew being in Charming was hard for him, adding on everything that had happened with Angela was probably not helping either. "Tell it to shut the fuck up."

"Yeah," he answered on a sad laugh. "Believe me, I've tried. Easier said than done. Doesn't help that I got Angel constantly askin' me if I'm okay."

"She's worried."

"I know, and I…I love her for that, but I don't want to keep talking about my crazy head shit. We go in fuckin' circles, and all it does is make me feel like some weak asshole," he admitted on a frown. "I'm okay. I really am. Its hard, but I'm dealin' with it, you know? I can handle this shit. I'm stronger than I was last time I was here, and she…she's got so much goin' on and she won't let me in. Makes me feel…inadequate or somethin'. Does that make sense?"

Happy nodded in understanding. It wasn't strange for Juice to open up to him like this. During the fourteen months they were locked in a cell together in county, they'd had a few deep talks. Juice usually did most of the talking, of course, but those talks were what made Happy feel comfortable with Juice's relationship with his little cousin, gave him better insight to the man everyone had called 'idiot' for years. While Hap would never stop calling him that, he also knew Juice was no idiot. The guy was smarter and more in tune with his emotions than most people gave him credit for. "It ain't 'cause she thinks you're weak. She knows you're not. Think its 'cause she don't want to feel it herself. Easier to focus on you than her."

"Drivin' me crazy," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his longer hair.

"Doesn't help you knocked her up. Hormones 'n' shit."

Juice smirked, playing with his wedding ring as a smile crossed his face. "Only good thing that's happened since I've been home is finding out she's pregnant."

"Home?"

He blinked, grimacing to himself. "Shit. Didn't mean that."

"Yeah, you did," he said, dunking another tool into the bucket of bleach. "You ever think about comin' back?"

Juice raked a hand through his hair, letting out a long, sad sigh. "Didn't until I got here. 'Til I found out I was safe. Despite all the shit that's happened; she's happy here with her family and the funeral home. Being _here_ makes her happy."

"Wasn't happy 'til you showed up."

He smiled a little at that, looking back at the computer. "Good to know."

"You gonna move back?"

Juice sighed again, rubbing at his eyes. "Not to Charming, that's for damn sure. Bay Area, maybe. If that's what she wants. My brother-in-law wants a satellite office out here anyway, so I'll have a job, and she'll have the funeral home and her family so…she'll be happy. That's all I want for her."

Happy nodded slowly. "Good. Wouldn't mind havin' you guys back. Know my Ma and Graci would love it. Gettin' to see the brats grow up 'n' shit."

"Yeah. Ang would like that too," he said on a sigh. He looked back at the computer for a moment before sighing. "How's this shit end, Hap? You bring all this info to the club and what happens?"

He tossed his last tool into the bucket of bleach. "They all die. Every single one."

* * *

Angela let herself into the funeral home prep room, closing the door behind her and watching as Bones expertly worked on the blonde lying on his table. There was soft music playing in the background, some pretty movie score she was pretty sure was from _Lord of the Rings_. "Need help?" she asked, smirking when he jumped a little.

He looked up at her, pushing his glasses up his nose with the back of his hand. "I'm good. Embalming's done. Just making sure it all looks good."

She walked around the table, trying to focus on Bones' work and not that it was Lyla laying there. He'd covered her up out of respect, but her crow tattoo was still visible. Angela frowned at the sight of it; every SAMCRO woman who had worn one was now dead. Tara, Gemma, Luann, and now, Lyla. When things had first started to get serious with Juice, she'd considered getting a matching one. Putting it on the center of her back in the same location she now had Juice's head tattoos. She was thankful she'd decided against the crow and went for the tribal design instead. If she'd gotten the crow, she definitely would've had it removed. She nodded to Bones, knowing he was expecting some type of comment. "Looks perfect. Just needs some makeup," she complimented, reaching out a hand to fix a lock of Lyla's hair. "You mind if I do it?"

Bones hesitated for a moment. "Ang…"

"I did it for her wedding," she told him with a small smile as she remembered that day. "Was pissed as hell with her for callin' me since it was Juice's first day back and we were…sleeping, but I did it. She liked the smoky eye, big false eyelashes, but a simple lip. Before that, I'd do it for her…movies. It was how we became friends. Kinda want to do it again. One last time."

"Yeah, okay," he murmured, taking a step away. "El brought by all the make-up she thought I'd need. Think you'd be better at it anyway."

Angela scowled at him. "Not true. Don't doubt yourself, its unattractive."

"Thanks," he said with a proud little smile.

She patted his shoulder lovingly before going over to Lyla's makeup bag. They'd shared so much of this makeup. When something didn't work for one of them, they traded it with each other. She picked up one lipstick and scoffed. "I've been looking for this for _years._ Can't believe she stole it."

Bones smiled a little, his hazel eyes on her face for a moment. "You can have it back now, I guess. Ellie says she doesn't want any of it."

"Nah. I'll use it. Looked better on her anyway," she said with a small smile. She took in a deep breath as she picked out the right makeup. "All right. I got this."

"You want some space?"

She sighed, raking a hand through her hair. "Yeah. Thanks, Boner."

He nodded, patting her on the shoulder lovingly before heading out the door. She waited until it was closed behind him to let out a small sigh. "Hey, Ly," she greeted, feeling her eyes start to tear up. "God, there's been too many of my friends laid out on this table."

Shaking her head, she turned the music on, determined not to dwell on what she was doing until she was done with the task at hand. She grabbed the colors Lyla used to request on her shoots, smiling to herself as she remembered the many times she and Lyla would swatch the colors on their arms, trying to find the perfect shades for that day. They'd had so much fun.

Even when she'd moved to Texas, she and Lyla had always kept in touch. Lyla had been so far removed from all of the club drama, there was no animosity between them. They'd often text about new lingerie or show each other what new makeup they'd found at Sephora. Lyla had even given her some advice on how to spice things up in the bedroom with Juice. Over the years, Lyla had grown to be one of her best friends, and she regretted not calling her as much as she could've. "I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve this. You deserved better."

She took in a deep breath, feeling the tears fall down her cheeks. "I'll take care of El and Pipes. Make sure they're okay. That they're safe," she promised, squeezing her cold hand. "I'm gonna miss ya, Ly. A lot. Love you, lady. Hope you found some peace now."

* * *

Happy walked into the funeral home's work room slowly, his muscles aching from the intense "interrogation" he'd put the asshole through; he was getting too old for that kind of shit. He made his way towards the workroom to check on Angela, knowing she would've have some type of hand in Lyla's preparation. The music was loud, as it usually was when she was focused on her work. Pushing open the door, he found her at the table working, her long fingers moving gracefully and with purpose as she put makeup on Lyla's face. He reached over and turned down the music, catching her attention. She looked up from what she was doing, her eyes red and watery. "Hey," she greeted, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "You guys get what you needed?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on Lyla; she looked a hell of a lot better than she had last time he'd seen her. The bullet wound in the center of her forehead was completely covered, almost as though it'd never been there. "Idiot's gettin' Ken to start up the ovens for us."

"Good," she stated on a nod as she appraised her own work. "How'd Juice do with the…interrogation?"

He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk. Of course, she was worried about the idiot; he had a feeling she was staying focused on him so she didn't have to think about her own feelings. But Juice had handled the interrogation like a champ, hadn't even gotten sick. Hap had to say, he was a little proud of him. "Fine. You need to stop babyin' him. It ain't helpin'."

She scowled, wiping some of the makeup off her hands on a towel. "I'm not babying him."

"You are. Makin' him feel real shitty which don't help his head."

Angela frowned, raising an eyebrow at him. "That what he told you?"

"Kinda," he replied on a shrug. "He's stronger than you think."

"I know," she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "He's one of the strongest men I know."

"Then treat him like it. You ain't helpin' him by keepin' him out."

"I'm not hurtin' him either."

Happy shook his head slowly; he'd seen the hurt look in Juice's eyes when he'd described how Angela was making him feel. "Yeah, you are. Gotta be a two way street, or he's gonna lose his shit."

"If I let him in, if I'm weak, then I'm going to lose _my_ shit, Hap," she replied honestly as she went to wash her hands. "Telling myself I got to be strong for him is probably the only thing keeping _me_ from fallin' apart."

He fought the urge to grimace. That was his fault. He'd instilled the idea of keeping a strong front in her since she was a kid, not really thinking about how it would affect her in the future. If he'd known it would make her bottle it all up and push people away, he would've been a little more lenient about it. "Then do it. Ain't a bad thing to do in front of him. 's not good for you to hold that shit in. Talk to the idiot. He gets it. Probably help you more than I can."

Angela looked him in disbelief before she narrowed her eyes at him. "That sounds more like Chloe than you."

 _Chloe_. An unfamiliar pang went through his heart at the mention of her name. The look of fear in her eyes the last time he'd seen her was ingrained in his head; he needed to get her back and fast. "It is," he acknowledged on a nod.

Her eyes narrowed at him a bit, the look she got when she was analyzing him. "You get to see her?" she asked as if she could read his thoughts. At his nod, she sighed. "How'd she look?"

Happy grimaced, rubbing a hand over his face. She hadn't looked good, but he wasn't about to tell Angela that. It would only upset her. "She's holdin' strong, but with Lyla gone…"

"She's next," she finished, paling just a little.

"Yeah," he rasped, crossing his arms over his chest.

A soft gasp escaped Angela's hold, her eyes growing glassy with tears. "Jesus Christ."

"Hey, breathe, kid," he soothed, stepping in front of her and setting his hands on her shoulders. "That ain't gonna happen. 'm gonna bring her home. Promise you that."

She shook her head, sniffling slightly. "This is so fucked up. Why couldn't it have been me, Hap? I know how to deal with this shit. I…I could've found a better way out, I coulda…"

"Stop!" Hap interjected a little too loudly. Hearing her wish it had been her instead of Chloe angered him. How could she be so stupid? There's no way she would've been better off in Chloe's shoes! She would've gotten herself killed in any attempt she made to escape, and she would've attempted it because that's what he'd trained her to do. "Don't fuckin' say that shit. If Alvarez's Old Lady can't get 'em outta there, what makes you think you could, huh? You'd get yourself killed tryin' to be smart, trying to trick your way outta there. I saw the way that dumb bitch killed Lyla. The second you tried anything, she'd a put a bullet in your head and found someone else to replace you."

Angela shook her head stubbornly. "No. I would've figured it out! We should've let them take me, Hap! I could've helped them, I could've found a way to save them or at least led you to them!"

"Oh yeah? Let them take you bleedin' like you were with a busted lung?" he countered quickly. He saw the path her mind was taking and knew he had to end it before she did something seriously stupid and hurt herself. "You wanna put your kids in danger like that? All for what? So they could kill you later? Kill her sooner? 'Cause if they had you, you know they'd kill her. Probably kill both of 'em! All they need is you!"

"Maybe they would've let them go," she said, a desperate look in her eyes. "Maybe that's what you should offer. A trade. Me for them."

And there it was. The exact notion he knew was coming. Angela was as selfless as they came when it came to her family. She would throw herself in front of a moving vehicle to protect the ones she loved and that was exactly what she was offering. Happy knew if Lin's crew got their hands on Angela, there was no way they would ever let her out alive. Not again. "Are you fuckin' nuts?"

Angela's hands grabbed onto the front of his cut. "I _need_ to help, Hap. I can't just sit here anymore and watch my friends die," she cried, pulling on his cut for emphasis. " _Please_ just let me help!"

"No! Don't be stupid, kid!" he replied, scowling at her. "Maybe if you weren't knocked up or if you didn't have a kid or a family, _maybe_ I'd think about it, but that ain't the case. You got people that need you, Angela! Don't be so fuckin' selfish."

" _You_ don't be selfish," she contested, shoving him away from her. "I can help. _Let_ me help!"

"Help what?" a voice came from the door way.

Relief flooded through Hap at the sound of Juice's voice. If anyone could talk some sense into her, it would be Juice. "Your _wife_ wants to give herself up to Lin's crew in a fuckin' _trade_."

" _What_?" Juice breathed looking at her in shock. "Angel, are you serious?"

Angela shifted a bit, as if she suddenly realized how stupid the idea was. Then her chin jutted up obstinately, and she nodded. "Yeah. You can put a tracker in my shoe or something and that way you can be able to find them easier! It's a good plan!"

He looked from her face to Hap's, his eyes wide with disbelief. "A tracker…" he trailed off before shaking his head. "Are you serious?"

She nodded rapidly. "Juice, I gotta help. I gotta do _something_."

"I know how you feel, but you're pregnant, Angel. With _twins_ and an injured lung to boot," he said choosing his words very carefully. Happy was surprised by how calm he was being in the face of Angela's craziness. He'd thought he'd get mad or fly into a panic attack of his own, but he was keeping his composure. Juice moved in closer to her, approaching her like a man would a rattlesnake about to strike. "Why do you want to put yourself in danger?"

"Because I want to help. Dia and Chlo are family, and I…I want to help save them," she rambled, her breathing a little harder than usual. "I don't want to see any more of my friends on this table."

Juice was close enough now to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. "I know, baby," he murmured, grabbing hold of her hands when she didn't pull away. "But I already found them, Angel. I…that guy that we caught, he squealed like a little pig, and I got _everything_ I need to find them, okay? Couldn't a done that without you. You _did_ help them, baby."

Happy fought the urge to smirk; he was exaggerating a little. Sure, they'd gotten good information from the man they'd just tortured, but it wasn't everything they needed. It did seem to calm Angela down a little, though, so he rolled with it. "He's right, kid," he put in. It wasn't a lie on his part; Angela _had_ helped them. She was gasping a bit for air now, her hand pressed to her chest in a way that worried him. "Cut it out, kid. You're gonna hurt yourself."

"Angela! Hey! Look at me!" Juice shouted, grabbing her face in his hands and forcing her eyes to meet his. "Breathe, baby. I know it hurts. Know it's hard, but it's going to be okay. We're okay. Just breathe. Nice and slow. Match mine. C'mon."

Angela wrapped her hands around his wrist, her knuckles white as she held onto him. Happy watched her struggle for a moment, then her breathing starting to even out, matching Juice's as he kept murmuring comforting things to hers, their foreheads practically touching.

Happy had had his doubts about Juice's relationship with his cousin. He'd seen him hurt her, make her cry, but he'd also seen him make her laugh and now, watching him know exactly what to do and say to calm her down had served to banish any lingering doubts he had about Juice's ability to take care of Angela; the idiot clearly knew what he was doing.

He cast them one last glance, just in time to see the sweet kiss Juice laid on her forehead just before she crumbled into his chest and began to sob. Happy gave Juice a quick nod then ducked out of the room. As much as it hurt him to see his little cousin unravel like that, he was thankful Juice was there to be the strong one while she fell apart. Happy couldn't do that. He wasn't used to her tears, wasn't used to letting her cry. He didn't have the patience for it the way Juice did.

Walking outside, he took in a deep breath of the fresh air, letting it out slowly as he went for his cigarette packet that was usually stored in his cut. Except it wasn't there. Instead, he found a pocket full of toothpicks. He'd quit smoking almost two years before at Chloe and his Mom's insistence. At first, Chloe had refused to kiss him if he smoked, when that didn't work, she refused to have sex with him. If it'd been any other girl, he'd tell her to go fuck herself and fuck the next available sweetbutt, but Chloe was different. She had him hooked. So he quit smoking. Cold turkey. Had almost killed everyone in his path for a weeks after he did, but it'd been worth it. To her credit, Chloe made sure to send him sexy texts, teasing him with them, telling him if he was good, he'd have her to come home to, and she never disappointed.

Taking out one of the toothpicks, he unwrapped it and stuck it in his mouth, chewing on the end of it until the only thing left were splinters. He spat them out and grabbed another one, repeating the process until the fire in his blood had calmed. His eyes followed the small trail that led to the cemetery, eyeing the first couple of headstones. A lot of his friends were buried out there, good brothers and good Old Ladies. _His_ Old Lady would never be one of those headstones. No way in hell. He was going to get her back and anyone who tried to stop him would end up in pieces.

* * *

 **Hap's on a mission to get his lady while Angela's going a little crazy...**

 **Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas, suggestions, etc., I'm all ears! :) I've got the next chapter partly written, and I'm trying to be better about updating, I swear!**

 **Thank you all for your patience and for sticking with me!**

 **~Love Ink**


	18. Ready

**Oof. It has been a _long_ time since I updated! Thank you all so much for sticking with me and for your understanding and patience! Been going through quite a bit of changes in my life with my new job so finding time to write has been quite a struggle! Also had a little hiccup motivation-wise that I addressed on my Tumblr several times if you're curious about it. :) **

**I cannot say THANK YOU enough to all of you who have been so patient and have sent me reviews and Tumblr messages of encouragement and love. You guys all make me so happy!**

 **The next chapter should come out faster than this one has. Like I said, I've been trying to find time to write with my new schedule, but I think I've got a good handle on it (finally).**

 **So here goes! Let me know what you think! I love ALL of your reviews, comments, suggestions, etc. You guys make my day with all the time you spend leaving me your thoughts. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, Charlie, Bones, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)**

* * *

 _ **Overexposed**_

 _Chapter 18: Ready_

 _By Love Ink_

Juice held Angela's hand as they drove to the hospital to pick up Evie. Lyla's funeral had been earlier that day. It'd been filled with porn stars and producers who definitely didn't know what appropriate funeral wear was, but it somehow was fitting for Lyla. He had a feeling she would've been happy to see how many people came out to say goodbye. Hell, even Ima was there; she'd cried harder than anyone.

Angela had gone into full mortician mode during the whole funeral. She'd stayed quiet and professional, greeting everyone with a small smile and a nod and making sure everything was running smoothly. Kenny was the same way, more focused on the ceremony itself than who it was for. That was how they were keeping things together. Bottling it all up and working through it. Juice knew it wasn't a healthy way to deal with things, but he didn't know how to change it either. Even Piper looked numb to it all in his Prospect's cut. Juice had heard he'd left it behind at the clubhouse after he'd heard what happened to Lyla. There was still a dirty tire mark going down the back of it from where he'd ridden over it. He wondered what Chibs had said to convince him to put it back on.

Juice heard Angela sniffle and frowned. Just the night before, she'd had a mental breakdown, something he wasn't used to coming from his strong wife. He was grateful she got it out, though; she'd needed the release. Today, she'd seemed better, but he had a feeling it was all an act. She was going to break eventually, and he'd be right there to help piece her back together. "Talk to me," he urged, squeezing her hand.

She shook her head and laughed lightly. "Think I'm losin' it," she admitted, her voice rough. "My head feels like its going to explode."

"Know the feeling," he said, pulling off on a familiar exit, the rental car they had straining a bit as it climbed up the hill to their little spot just outside of Charming.

"This how your head feels all the time?"

Juice shrugged, squeezing her hand tightly before letting go to put the car in park. "Not _all_ the time, just when I'm overwhelmed."

Her dark eyes stared out the windshield for a moment, her jaw clenched tightly. "Sucks."

"Want to talk about it or do you want me to distract you or do you want me to leave?"

Angela's mouth turned up in the smallest hint of a smirk. He knew why too; those were the same questions she always asked him when he was on the brink of a panic attack. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back and let out a long breath. "All three."

That would be the hormones, he thought with a smirk. Kissing her temple, he got out of the car with a grunt and went to sit on the hood of it. He looked out over the small town of Charming. It had changed a lot since he'd last been there. Charming Heights was now nestled in a valley that had once been wild and covered in trees. If he squinted, he could just make out the Starbucks logo on top of what used to be a quaint little family-run coffee shop.

He heard the car door open and felt the car dip a little as Angela sat down next to him. "I didn't _really_ want you to leave," she said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "That was the one I wanted least."

He chuckled softly, moving his arm around her shoulders and kissing her temple. "Which one do you want the most?"

"Tell me its going to be okay," she asked softly, playing with her rings. "That we're going to get Chloe and Dia and no one else is going to die."

"It's going to be okay. _We're_ going to be okay," he told her, moving his lips against her skin. He didn't want to add on the rest because it was something he couldn't promise even though he desperately wished he could. He turned to look at the view again, playing with her hair lovingly. "View's changed a lot since we were here last," he said, trying to distract her.

If she caught on to what he was doing, she didn't say anything. "A lot's changed," she agreed, tilting her head back to look at him. "Last time I was here, I thought you were dead."

He grimaced, squeezing her shoulder. _That_ was definitely not how he wanted to distract her. "Thought this place would remind you of the good times. Not… _that_."

"The whole town reminds me of how I almost lost you, Juice," she murmured sadly as she turned her head to look out at the view.

Juice felt guilt swirl around his stomach, but he pushed it away; he couldn't focus on his own mistakes, not when she needed him. "So I'm guessing moving back is out of the question?"

Her eyes snapped to his, growing wide. "Are you serious? Move back to here? To _Charming_?"

"I was thinking somewhere _else_ in the Bay Area. San Jose or some shit. Close but also very far," he suggested, gauging her reaction. She looked shell-shocked which he thought was strange considering he'd brought it up to her before. Maybe she hadn't thought he was serious back in the hospital when he'd first suggested it. "You're gonna deny it, but you're happier here. I know that. Before everything went to shit, you were happy to be here with the funeral home and your family and Hap…"

"Juice…"

"No, hear me out. Dino wants to put a satellite office out here somewhere 'cause of Silicon Valley and all the tech shit that's goin' off down here. Said if I wanted to stay, he'd give me some upper management position when he set up the new office," he explained slowly. "It'd be a bump in salary for me, you could work at the funeral home, we'd be closer to Ken's college and Hap and the crazy Uncles, have your Ma and Aunt and Dia close by to help with the kids. The weather's nicer out here, and we've got enough money saved that we could get a really nice place in a nice neighborhood."

Angela stared at him in bewilderment. "You're actually considering this," she stated in surprise. "After everything that's gone down, you really want to move our whole life out here? What about your sister?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Jo will deal. Plus, I'll still be workin' with Dino. Ain't like they're not gonna visit. Shit, maybe they'll even move out here. 's not like they have any roots out there either," he said, though he doubted they would. Jo wasn't a big fan of Texas, but she wasn't the California type either. If anything, they'd move back to New York. "Think it might be nice to raise our kids with your family close, actually. Its bigger than mine. Stronger. Plus, with your Ma and Aunt we'd have free baby sitting with people we trusted."

"Ken _was_ worried about not being close while the twins are growin' up. Thinks we're trying to replace him with these new bugs," she said on a laugh.

He chuckled with her, shaking his head. "As if that was possible."

"Moving back…wouldn't that be bad for your…head?"

Juice shrugged again, looking out over the town for a moment. "It's getting better, easier. I mean, I survived it, right? Happy said no one's gonna come after me. I've already been here for a couple days, and the club hasn't done shit," he explained, keeping his eyes on the houses instead of her. "Just want you to be happy, Angel. 's long as you're happy, I think my head'll be just fine."

"Juice…"

"Don't start telling me how you're happy in Texas 'cause we both know you are, but you're _happier_ here. Even with all this crazy shit that's been happening, California is home. For both of us. Always has been."

Angela sighed, almost as if in defeat. Leaning over, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Can we please get through all this craziness before we start making all these big plans?"

"Yeah, baby. 'course," he agreed, kissing her forehead. "Love you."

"I love you too. So much," she replied, her hand on his thigh.

Her hand slid higher as she caught his lips in a hot kiss. His eyes widened as fire starting racing through his veins, pushing his blood to one specific area. He swallowed hard. "Baby, baby," he murmured as her lips trailed down his neck, her hand slipping under his shirt, fingernails raking over his stomach. "Here?"

Angela nodded, pushing him back onto the bonnet of the car. "Wouldn't be the first time," she mumbled against his lips as she moved to stand between his legs. His fingers went for the buttons of her blouse, struggling to undo them. He let out a frustrated sound, and she swatted his hands away before he could rip it open. "Can't have you ruining another one of my shirts."

He chuckled softly, reaching out for the button of her jeans and carefully pulling them open to reveal dark red lace panties hiding underneath. Grabbing her hips, he pulled her towards him, mouthing the small bump of her belly. Her being pregnant had never deterred him from wanting her like it did some men. He thought it was sexy as hell to see her pregnant belly, knowing his children were inside of it. "You're beautiful, baby," he murmured against her skin, nipping softly at it as her fingers slid into his hair.

She tugged on his hair lovingly. " _Besame_."

He got this feet, sliding one hand into her hair as his lips crashed hungrily against hers. She nipped at his lower lip, leaning into him as her hands tugged open his jeans, one slipping inside his boxers to grip him. He groaned softly as she stroked him, her tongue moving into his mouth.

And then her phone went off. The _Imperial March_ from _Star Wars_ filling the air; Graciela's ringtone. Angela didn't stop what she was doing, though, seemingly determined to ignore it. Juice grabbed her wrist, pulling away just a little. "Baby, baby, stop," he said, hating himself a little for it. "What if it's Evie?"

"Shit, you're right." Angela sighed against his lips, pulling away with a frown. She was out of breath, cheeks flushed, lips red and swollen, absolutely beautiful. He couldn't help but kiss her again. She smiled into his kiss, her hands on his chest, gently pushing him back. "Pause for a sec. I'm sure its nothing."

He nodded, doing his best to catch his breath as she reached into the back pocket of her jeans for her cell. "Haven't been interrupted like this in a while," he said on a breath, nuzzling her neck with his nose.

"Just like old times," she replied on a smile, her fingers moving through his hair as she put the phone up to her ear. "Hey Ma, what's up? Everything okay?"

Juice couldn't hear what Graciela was saying on the other line, but whatever it was had made Angela tense, her hand falling from his hair as she gasped. He stopped kissing her neck, lifting his head to study her face. She'd paled a little, her eyes growing glassy with tears. "Angel, what's wrong?" he asked, eyes wide with fear. "Is it Evie?"

"We'll be right there, Mama. Tell her to hold on, _please_ ," she said hanging up the phone. Her dark eyes locked on his. "It's Elena. We gotta go."

* * *

Angela's heart was in her throat as Juice pulled in front of St. Thomas. Elena had gone into cardiac arrest, they were working on getting her stable now. She held tightly to Juice's hand, his touch comforting her as they both ran through the hospital to get to the elevator. Once inside, he squeezed her hand, trying his best to give her a smile. "She's gonna be okay, Angel," he assured her, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles. "She's a strong lady. She'll pull through."

She nodded slowly, sucking in a deep breath. "God, I hope you're right."

Once they stepped onto the floor, she spotted Nero with Evie in his arms, bouncing her up and down. He was singing softly to her, some Spanish song Angela recognized from when she was growing up. As he sang he dipped his knees down, leaned her back all the way, and tickled her. Evie's giggles rang through the hospital hallway, a sound of happiness rarely heard on the in-patient floor.

"Mama!" Evie shouted in glee when she saw her, her little hand reaching for her.

"Hey baby," she greeted, managing to give her a smile as she went to pick her up. Juice stepped in front of her, taking her instead. Angela did her best not to scowl at the action; she knew he was doing it for her own good, but she just wanted to hold her daughter for once. Healed or not, she wanted to give her baby girl some love.

Juice kissed Evie's cheek, holding her close. "How you doin', Monk? Havin' fun with Nero?"

" _Tio_ Nero's so fun, Daddy! He sings the best songs," she told him, her little arms around his neck. "He take me to day care with Tommy!"

Nero scratched nervously at the back of his neck. "Yeah. Graciela had to work 'n' everyone else was at the funeral. Margaret Murphy said it was okay for her to be there."

"It was fun!" Evie exclaimed, a huge smile on her face. "They had all kinds of toys! Me and Tommy played with the cars!"

"That's great, baby! So glad you had fun!" Angela exclaimed with more enthusiasm than she felt. She nodded to Nero. "How's Elena? What happened?"

Nero hesitated, his dark eyes falling on Evie for a moment. Juice grimaced a bit before kissing Evie's cheek. "How about we go get some Jell-O, Monk?"

"Yes! Geen Jell-O, Daddy?" she asked, her dark eyes wide.

"Yeah, baby girl. All the green Jell-O you want," he confirmed, bouncing her gently.

Angela let out a breath of relief. As much as she loved her daughter, if Nero was going to give her bad news, she didn't want Evie to see her break down. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

He winked at her, kissing her temple quickly. "Love you. Text me."

Angela nodded, watching him walk away while Evie babbled away at him, one of her hands tapping at his cheek. She wished he would stay with her, hold her hand because she had a feeling whatever news Nero was going to tell her was not going to be good. She swallowed hard before clearing her throat. "What's going on with Lena?"

"She uh…she went into cardiac arrest not too long ago. They resuscitated 'cause your Ma was there and told 'em she didn't have a DNR. She's stable now _pero_ they're not sure she'll last through the night. If she crashes again, that DNR's gonna stand."

She sucked in a quick breath, tears pricking the corner of her eyes. "Shit," she breathed, raking a hand through her hair. She didn't want to cry. Knew she shouldn't. Not yet. Not when Elena was still alive, but the pregnancy hormones were kicking in _hard_ , and she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "Goddamn."

"I'm sorry, Mama. Know it's a hard day for you what with Lyla 'n' all," he said, setting his hand on her shoulder. To her surprise, the small act of comfort made her cry harder. Nero enveloped her into a hug, holding her tightly as she sobbed into his stupid argyle sweater. "I know it hurts. I know. I'm sorry, _mija_. So sorry."

It was strange to her how much comfort she found in Nero's embrace. Pulling away, she wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry," she murmured, sniffling slightly as she tried to regain her composure. "I just…I thought I was ready for this, and I…"

"Nothin' to be sorry about. I get it. You can't prepare for stuff like this, _Angelita_ ," he said, offering her a handkerchief from his pocket. "You think you can 'cause you deal with death all day _pero_ when its this close to you, its not so easy."

She stared at it for a moment, fighting the urge to laugh at the handkerchief; he was such an old _cholo_ , she couldn't get over it. Smiling a little, she took it from him and used it to wipe her eyes and blow her nose before grimacing. "I'm gonna wash this 'fore I give it back to you."

"Fair enough, Mama," he said around a soft chuckle. He rubbed her shoulder lovingly. "Lena was askin' for you not too long ago."

"Okay. Hap in there?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah. Looks ready to kill anyone who tells him to get out," he said on a chuckle.

Angela didn't smile back at him. If Happy had that murderous look in his eyes, it meant he would actually kill anyone who got in his way especially for his Mom. "He will," she stated before heading into her Aunt's hospital room. The second she stepped inside, her heart dropped. Elena looked frailer than ever in the big hospital bed. She had less machines hooked up to her which wasn't a good sign; it meant they couldn't help her anymore. Happy was in a chair next to her, a worried look on his face as he held his Mom's hand. Angela swallowed hard, forcing a smile as she said, "Hey _Tia_."

Elena gave her a bright smile. "There you are. _Mi Angelita tan preciosa_ ," she greeted, holding out a wrinkled hand to her. ( _My little, precious angel)_

Tears came to Angela's eyes before she could stop them. She crossed the room towards her and grabbed her other hand. " _Tia,_ I…"

"Stop the tears. No more tears. I'm fine," she said, coughing a little bit. "Everyone is so dramatic. I'm going to be around a lot longer. Got to see my new grand _nietos_." ( _grandnephews/nieces)_

Angela laughed lightly as she wiped at her eyes. "That's what I keep tellin' everyone," she said, squeezing Elena's hand. "You're gonna be fine, Tia. I know it. Right, Hap?"

Happy nodded slowly. "Yeah," he rasped, his voice softer than usual. "You're gonna be fine, Ma."

* * *

Juice sat in Elena's room, watching the shitty television screen instead of sleeping like everyone else around him. He was sitting on the couch in the corner, Angela asleep with her head in his lap. Elena was sleeping in the hospital bed her breathing heavier than it should be, Evie on the bed next to her, her head in her grand aunt's lap. Happy sat on the other side, his Mom's hand in his own, his head on the bed. Everyone was content, comfortable, except him. Try as he might, Juice could not fall asleep. He had a feeling it had something to do with being in Charming. Mostly because everything bad that had ever happened to him had happened there. How was he supposed to sleep when he felt like danger was lurking around every corner?

There was a soft knock at the door, making him tear his eyes away from the screen. Chibs stood in the doorway, his riding gloves clenched in his hand. Just looking at him made bile rise up in Juice's throat. He wasn't afraid of him; there was nothing the Scot could do to hurt him anymore. Honestly, he was more afraid of himself, of the black hatred taking over his body and mind at the mere sight of him. That man had almost taken everything away from him. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. "What?" he spat out, trying to appear calmer than he was.

Chibs' mustache twitched just a bit as he played with the riding gloves in his hand. "Need a moment," he replied, his voice a little louder so it woke Happy up.

Happy rubbed at his eyes, sitting up a little. "What's up?" he asked, looking at his president.

"We got a chance to save your girl," Chibs explained, walking closer so he could keep his voice lower and not wake Elena. "Piper's been sitting on the place where they're keepin' them. Thinks he knows their schedule 'n' how we can get in there."

Happy sat up a little straighter, his fingers twitching as if he were eager to get going. "What's the plan?"

Juice saw Chibs hesitate and smirked; he didn't want to say his plans in front of the present company as if Angela would get in the way of saving someone she looked at as a mother and her best friend. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Angela's temple. "Wake up, Angel," he murmured, shaking her gently.

Her brows furrowed for a brief moment before she sat up with a groan. Her dark eyes landed on Chibs, and she immediately tensed. "What's goin' on?"

"He wants us to get out, so he and Hap can plan some shit. Said there's a chance to get Chlo and Dia back."

Angela's brows furrowed in confusion. "So? Elena and Eves are sleeping, its stupid for us to go. They should go. Leave us alone."

Juice and Happy shared a smirk at her attitude. She was right, of course; it didn't make any sense for Chibs and Happy to stay while they stepped out. Happy nodded, getting to his feet with a grunt. "Everyone else here?" he asked.

"Yeah, they're in the chapel downstairs. Was goin' to run it by you 'fore we told the masses," Chibs explained as if to save face. "Also thinkin' ye might want to come along, Juicy."

Angela's hand fell on his knee as if she was stopping him from going. Juice grabbed it, squeezing it reassuringly; he was fine. He could do this. "Why?" he asked, a little curious.

"We're outta our depth with the tech shite. You know that. Pipes is learnin', but he doesn't hold a candle to ya. Now, I can get Kenny 'n' Ellie's boy to do it, but I think ye might not want them wrapped up in all this."

Juice tilted his head to the side, considering his offer, an amused look on his face. "You want my help? After all the shit you put my family through, you want me to help your fuckin' club?"

"Ain't the club you're helpin'," Happy stepped in, looking annoyed. " 's for Chloe."

He nodded slowly. Chloe was Angela's best friend, someone who had helped them through everything. From bullet wounds to babies, Chloe had been there. Now, it was his turn to be there for her. Leaning over, he caught Angela's lips in a quick kiss. "Be right back, baby."

"If anythin' happens to him, I will end you," she threatened, glaring at Chibs.

Chibs nodded, his amused smirk barely hidden as he headed out the door. Happy kissed his mother quickly before following after. As soon as Juice took a step closer, Angela grabbed his hand tugging him back, a worried look in her eyes. Juice settled his hand on her neck, thumb tracing over her jawline. "I'm gonna be okay, Angel," he said, leaning forward to kiss her before gently bumping his forehead against hers. "Love you."

She smiled just a little and nodded. "Love you too."

He kissed her once more and followed Happy out of the room. The three of them walked towards the elevator in silence before sharing the most awkward elevator ride to the bottom floor where the old chapel was. Juice clenched his fists tightly, trying to remain calm as he walked down the familiar hall. The SAMCRO prospect guarding the door opened it for them, nodding to Chibs as he did so. The inside of the chapel was split in two. SAMCRO sitting in the pews on one side, the Mayans on the other.

Juice stood awkwardly in the center aisle, unsure of which side to sit on. There was no way he was going to sit with the Sons, but he didn't want to assume the Mayans would be okay with him sitting with them either. Lino beckoned him over with a smile, patting the space beside him in a way that made Juice roll his eyes. He sat down in the spot, though, resolving to stay quiet and listen unless someone spoke directly to him.

The plan was simple enough. That night, the two clubs would ambush whatever warehouse they were keeping Dia and Chloe in. Piper had already mapped out their routines and found out when the least amount of people were there. "They have cameras," Piper said, standing tall and confident despite only being a prospect. The kid was on a mission for revenge, and he seemed determined to get it. "I know where they are, and they look wireless, but I couldn't hack my way into the system. Ken tried, but he couldn't either."

Juice bit back a grimace; this was why they needed him. While he'd taught Kenny a lot about hacking and coding, breaking into security systems was not something they'd really gone over. It wasn't needed in their normal, ordinary lives in Texas. He felt his leg start to shake as his nerves set in. He wanted no part in this, no part in anything that could possibly lead to jail time. All the illegal outlaw shit was behind him. He had too much to lose now. There was no way he was going back inside and leaving his family to fend for themselves in Charming. He'd left Angela once before, he wasn't about to do it again.

"Juice?" Piper's voice cut into his thoughts. "You think you can do it? Please?"

He blinked at him for a moment before sighing softly. "I can try, but I'd need a new laptop and some strong-ass WiFi so I can do it remotely. I'm not goin' anywhere near this shit."

"Coward," Montez muttered under his breath.

Tig smacked Montez upside the head while Happy leveled him with a glare. Juice didn't care, though; he'd stopped caring what the Sons thought about him a long time ago. "Nothin' cowardly about wanting to stay around for my family," he stated, shrugging his shoulder.

Marcus nodded slowly in approval. "We'll make it work. You tell me what you need and I'll get it."

"Then I'm in," Juice said on a nod. His stomach churned at the idea of helping the Sons again, but it wasn't about them. The men who'd taken Dia and Chloe had tried to hurt his wife, his daughter; he wasn't going to let them just skate by. They had to pay.

"Make a list of what you need. We'll get it tonight," the Mayan President said, slowly taking over the meeting. "You can work from Lino's apartment. There's so many people there, ain't no one gonna know who's usin' what."

Lino didn't look a hundred percent comfortable with the idea, but he nodded anyway. "WiFi sucks, though. People are always hackin' their way into my shit and stealin' my signal."

"Your old place still has all your shit set up," Tig put in, leaning forward a bit. "We still can't figure out that damn password. Chloe's the only one who can remember it."

Juice's skin prickled at the idea of being inside his old house. He hadn't even had the balls to drive by it, much less going inside of it. There were so many memories inside those walls; he wasn't sure how he'd handle it. But if all of his security measures were still in place, it would be the safest place to do his hacking. "Yeah, okay."

"Lino, you and the Santo Padre guys will go with his family," Marcus ordered. "Rest of us will make sure this plan goes smoothly."

"Montez, Rat, Tiggy," Chibs elected nodding to each one. "You guys go too."

Juice tensed at the names, watching as Montez scowled at the assignment. He knew there was no love lost between Montez and Angela; they hated each other. He met Happy's gaze and knew he was thinking the same thing. "Not Montez," Hap stated definitively.

"I'll go," TO offered, getting to his feet. At everyone's curious look, he straightened out his cut and cleared his throat. "I wouldn't be here, in this cut, with this Reaper, if it wasn't for you, Juice. Gotta say thank you somehow."

"Thanks, man," Juice said on a quick nod. "I appreciate it."

Chibs didn't look too happy with the exchange, but he nodded anyway. "Fine. Let's get this done. Get our ladies home safe."

* * *

They'd moved them again, Chloe realized as she came to in a stale-aired room. They'd knocked them out with fucking Chloroform of all things which was surprisingly fine by her; she'd prefer chemicals to being hit in the head. Her head was covered with a foul smelling bag, hands and arms tied to her chair. She shivered a bit in the cold air, searching for any hint of sound. "Dia?" she called out. There was no response except for her own echo. She was alone. "Fuck."

A lump formed in her throat as tears came to her eyes. Being separated from Dia didn't bode well for her. Of the both of them, she was the expendable one. Dia was the wife of a club president while she...she was just Happy's...whatever. She had no doubt Happy was doing everything in his power to get her back, but the club would only go so far to support him. If it came down to it, she was pretty sure the Sons would let her die instead of risking their lives or their club.

She heard movement from behind her before the bag was ripped off her head. She took in a deep breath of the stale air, blinking in the bright light of whatever weird building they were in. It was some kind of nightclub with an open floor plan, balconies surrounding it. The scenario was straight out of some stupid action film; a helpless girl, tied up in the center of a dance floor while men with guns stood in the balconies lying in wait for her savior to come so they could try to kill him while he attempted to save her. In the film world, the hero always came through without a scratch on him. She had a feeling in real life, it was going to end very, very differently.

Charlie stepped into the light, her Louboutin's clacking as she walked, her henchman close behind her. Chloe breathed in deeply, trying to relax and appear calm, collected like she knew Angela would. She channeled her friend, drawing strength from the idea of what she would do in this situation. Lifting her head, she stared Charlie straight in the eye and said, "What action movie did you steal _this_ set from? Could you be more cliché?"

"You would think that, wouldn't you?" Charlie asked, walking around the larger space. "But here's the thing, it may be expected and cliché, but its also predictable. Something I can control. Your boys will walk in here thinking they know exactly what's going on and never walk out."

"Bull shit. They're smarter than you think," she spat back.

"Are they? I don't think so. I tried to reason with them. With all of them. Tried to find a way we could work together, and they refused. So now, I'll slaughter them all. It'll be the end of SAMCRO _and_ the Mayans," she explained with a wicked smile. "And you get a front row seat. Well, until a stray bullet hits ya, then there's no guarentees. Hopefully, you and your loverboy get a sweet little reunion before you die."

Chloe grit her teeth together, her hands clenched into fists. "Go to hell."

Charlie's smile widened as she stroked a finger over Chloe's badly bruised cheek. "You first, sweetheart."

* * *

Happy couldn't shake the bad feeling he had swirling in his gut as he slid his bullet proof vest over his head. He did up the straps, the heavy weight of it strangely comforting. The rest was mechanical, a force of habit. Vest on, knife tucked into its sheath hanging from his hip, Glocks locked and loaded, tucked safely away into the holsters underneath his arms, cut on. Everything about this moment was second nature to him now. He'd suited up like this dozens of times for different reasons, but this time, it was personal. Someone had taken his girl, and he was going to get her back.

Once he was suited up, he rode straight to his Aunt's new place. Nero's lowrider was parked in the drive, his brothers' bikes parked at the curb next to some flashy Mayan bikes. He sneered at them, not a fan of the glitz and glamour of the Mayan motorcycles; he much preferred the subtle style of SAMCRO. Shaking his head, he walked towards the front door, spotting the Mayans intermixed with SAMCRO around the perimeter of the house. He never thought he'd be thankful for Angela's connection with the Mayans, but he was now. Sure, SAMCRO and the Mayans had already been in good standing with each other before Angela had showed up in Charming, but with everything going on with Chloe and Dia, Angela's presence helped instill an added level of trust between the two clubs. Marcus would never do anything to hurt her, and Happy would never let anything happen to his little cousin, whether his President approved or not.

He nodded to the guards before knocking on the door. A moment went by before Rat opened the door with a nod in greeting. He wasn't wearing his cut, no one inside the house was which only made Hap smirk; he wondered how Angela was able to convince them to take off their cuts. "Sup, Hap?" Rat asked, stepping back inside to let him in.

Happy took a step inside and looked around the place. It had changed a lot since Angela had last lived there. The furniture was the same, though, except now the couch was covered in plastic just like his Ma and Aunt liked it. He found Juice sitting at the kitchen table with more than one laptop open in front of him and two more at the other ends of the table for Piper and Lino to help with. Evie was asleep in Juice's lap, her little hand clinging to the front of his shirt while he worked around her seemingly unfazed by her presence.

"Better take that cut off 'fore Angel sees you," Juice commented with a smirk.

"She don't scare me," Happy replied, sitting down at the table next to him. He looked around the place, surprised she wasn't hanging around. "Where she at?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Went on a booze run with Boner, Ken, and like three Mayans. Sent her with them to distract her. She's not happy with all this shit."

"It workin'?"

He snorted and shook his head. "No. She doesn't want me to have any part in this. Keeps trying to convince me that offering her up as bait is still the best idea."

"It's not a bad idea," Rat supplied, earning himself murderous glares from Juice and Happy that made him take a step back. "Shit. Nevermind."

"Get outta here," Happy growled at him. He waited until Rat walked outside before nodding to Evie. "I can take her to bed."

Juice kissed her forehead, breathing in deeply. "Nah. I'm good," he replied softly. At Happy's questioning look, he explained, "Need somethin' to remind me why I'm doin' this. Ang was sittin' here for a while, but she was drivin' me nuts."

"You all right?"

"I don't like this," he replied, gesturing to the screen. "An old abandoned club in the middle a nowhere? HD cameras that were relatively easy to hack into? Somethin's off."

Happy nodded in agreement, tapping his fingers on the table nervously. "You got a better plan?"

He breathed in deeply, running a hand over his face before sighing. "No. Wish I did, but I don't know enough about what's been goin' on. Don't know shit about this Charlie lady. She seems smart, though. My guess? The girls are separated. Whatever you're walkin' into tonight, there's only one of 'em that's gonna be there. They'll light the place up. Blow away everyone in there leavin' behind the weakest players in the Mayans and Sons."

"We know where they were holdin' the girls before, though. Piper said some warehouse."

Juice nodded slowly. "Yeah. Out in the boonies," he said, thinking for a moment before he smirked. "They gotta be keepin' one of 'em there. No way they found another new, secure location. If you guys pull a switch, hit that place first and then the warehouse, you could catch 'em off guard. Pull everyone from the second location back to the first. They ain't that far away from each other. With the Sons and Mayans together, that shit is doable."

Happy shook his head. "We'd have to pull guys from here to cover both."

"We don't need an army protectin' us. Just a couple guys. I know how to protect my family, Nero does too. That's two less guys from SAMCRO. Mayans got a whole charter on us and for what? Santo Padre's lookin' bored out there. Plus, Lin's crew is all tied up at both locations. They're not gonna be goin' for us. They're at the end of the line here. This is the final play. "

"And the Niners?"

"Dispensable and small. They'll be at the first location. Lin won't mind losin' them. You guys'll be doin' them a favor by getting rid of 'em. This whole thing works to her benefit. She's smart, Hap."

Happy shifted in his seat a bit, considering what Juice said. "You don't think she planned for this shit too?"

Juice considered it for a moment, his hand playing with one of Evie's pigtails. "I think she's underestimating you guys. She thinks you're stupid, too emotional to think it through. Which is true. Always has been."

He didn't appreciate the way Juice was trash-talking the club, but he wasn't wrong necessarily. A lot of mistakes had been made because his club was acting on what their hearts told them and not thinking things through. "I'll run it by the Pres. Have him take it to Alvarez."

Evie started to stir, her little brow furrowing for a moment before she opened her eyes. "Daddy? I go bed now?"

Juice nodded, dropping a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, Monk. Let's get you in bed. You go, and I'll be right there," he said, pushing away from the table and setting Evie down on her feet. He waited until she disappeared before nodding at Happy. "Let me know what the verdict is. Boner's got a sweet drone I'm sure he'd love to use for some surveillance."

"The kid don't want him involved in this shit," Happy said on a frown.

He shrugged a shoulder. "She doesn't have to know."

Happy narrowed his eyes at him, tapping his finger on the table. "Thought you weren't keeping shit from her anymore."

Juice's shoulders sagged for a moment as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm doin' it for Chloe and Dia. She can't…she _won't_ be upset about that. I'll tell her just not right away."

He didn't like it, but he understood where he was coming from. Juice was trying to keep her out at all costs. "Watch yourself, idiot. Don't let club shit fuck up family shit."

"Daddy!" Evie's voice called from down the hall.

Juice looked in the direction of her voice, his eyes unfocused and sad. "That's not happening," he rasped, swallowing hard before sighing. "Not this time or ever again."

* * *

Happy stared at the building knowing of the two locations the once rival clubs were going to, this was the most dangerous one. He was surrounded by his brothers and some of the Mayans. All of them wearing bulletproof vests and armed to the teeth. All of them willing to lay down their lives for Chloe. He'd never been prouder to be a part of SAMCRO. They were doing this because they knew he would do it for them. No questions asked.

"You ready to go get your Old Lady?" Tig asked, racking the slide of his gun.

He smirked and nodded, fiddling with the strap of his bulletproof vest. "Shit's gotta end. Tonight."

"You know who woulda loved this shit?" Quinn asked, a wistful tone to his voice.

"Koz," Tig and Hap replied in unison.

Quinn nodded with a big grin. "Fuck yeah. These guys went after the kid, went after Chlo…Koz woulda been ready to tear 'em limb from limb."

"Even Juicy's skinny little ass woulda been good in this fight. He was always faster than the rest of us," Tig commented on a chuckle.

"Aim was shit, though. We'd be better off with the kid here," Happy muttered, thankful his brother-in-law was far away helping them from behind a computer screen. "Speakin' of…if anythin' happens to me…take care a my kid 'n' my family."

Tig nodded solemnly. " 'course, man. Your family is our family. Somethin' should happen to me, take care a V, okay? Know she's not the most conventional…"

"We got her, Tiggy," Quinn assured him, laying a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I don't got anyone but you guys, so just take care of yourselves, aight? If shit goes down, I got your families, no matter how unconventional they might be."

"Thanks, brother," Hap said, smacking Quinn on the shoulder. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and scowled as he pulled out the smart phone and the little Bluetooth ear piece that went with it. It had been Kenny's idea to hook at least some of them up with a way to communicate with the team monitoring the video feed back in Charming. He hooked it over his ear, pressing on the button Juice had instructed him to. "I hate this shit."

"Be thankful Bones didn't find a way to hook y'all up with GoPros," Juice's voice replied in his ear. "You guys ready for this?"

Happy did a quick press check on his Glock, making sure a bullet was in the chamber, ready to go. "Yeah. We're ready."

* * *

 **Dun. Dun. Duuuuun. Please let me know what you think! :) Your reviews are constant reminders that all the time and effort I put into this story are worth it! 3**

 **New chapter will be up faster than this one, promise! Hope y'all have a great day!**

 **~Love Ink**


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